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BIOGRAPHY 


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CLASS  OF  1838 


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BIOGRAPHY 


OF  THE 


CLASS  OF  1838 


OF  THF 


COLLEGE  OF  NEW  JERSEY, 

AT  PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


"  So  HELP  ME  God,  during  the  time  of  my  administration, 

Princeton  shall  keep  faith  with  the  dead." — From  President  Patton' s 
Inaugural  Address. 


PREPARED    BY 

WII^IvIAM  EDWARD  SCHENCK,  D.D. 
At  the  request  of  his  Surviving  Classmates. 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA: 

JAS.  B.  RODGERS  PRINTING  CO.,  54  N.  SIXTH  STREET, 
1889. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/biographyofclassOOsche 


ROLL  OF  THE  CLASS  OF   1838. 


GRADUATE    MEMBERS. 

NAME  AND   ADDRESS.  PAGE 

ABERT,  JAMES  WILLIAM Newport,  Ky.  26 

ALEXANDER,  SAMUEL  DAVIES  .    153  East  78tli  St.,  N.  Y.  City  29 

*  ALLEN,  JAMES  MADISON 32 

ALLEN,  WILLIAM  TEMPLE    •    .    Gaylord  P.  O.,  Clarke  Co.,  Va.  34 

BEACH,  BLOOMFIELD  JERVIS Rome,  N.  Y.  36 

*  BEACH,  ZENAS  LINDSLEY 38 

BEARDSLEY,  CHARLES  SHEPARD,  292  North  St.,  Auburn,  N.  Y.  39 

*  BELLOWS,  CHARLES  THEODORE 41 

*  BERRIEN,  JAMES   LEWORTHY 41 

*BLANEY,  JAMES  VAN  ZANDT 42 

*BLACKWELL,  CLAYTON 45 

*  BRANCH,  LAWRENCE  O'BRIAN 47 

♦BURTON,  JOHN  WILLIS 50 

CAMPBELL,  ALEXANDER  SPOTSWOOD 

Loch  Raven,  Baltimore  Co.,  Md.  51 


*  Deceased. 

3 


4  ROLI.  OF  THE   CLASS  OF    1 838. 

NAME   AND   ADDRESS.  PAGE 

*CARPRR,  JAMES  SAMUEL 53 

*CAZENOVE,  WILLIAM  GARDNER 54 

CLARKE,  EDWARD  SAMUEL  •    712  Spruce  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  56 

*  CLAWSON,  WILLIAM  SHINN 58 

*  COBB,  HENRY  LAWRENCE 59 

*CONKLING,  ELISHA  WHITAKER 60 

*COOK,  LEWIS  CONDICT • 61 

*  CORY,  JONATHAN 63 

CUMMINS,  JAMES  STARKE  LANE 

Churchtown,  Lancaster  Co.,  Pa.  64 

*  CUNNINGHAM,  JAMES  HAWTHORN •    •    •   •  66 

*DANDRIDGE,  ALEXANDER  SPOTSWOOD 67 

*DAVIS,  JOSEPH  HOLMES 71 

*DOD,  WILLIAM  ARMSTRONG 72 

*  EAGER,  JOHN  McAULEY 73 

*EYRE,  MAHLON  DICKERSON 76 

*  FRICK,  ARTHUR  WILLIAM 78 

*  FUNSTEN,  DAVID 79 

*  GIBBS,  JOSIAH  WILLARD 81 

*GULICK,  JOHN  STORY 82 

*HALSTED,  OLIVER  SPENCER  (2d) 84 

*  HOLLYDAY,  WILLIAM  MURRAY 86 

*HORNBLOWER,  WILLIAM  HENRY 87 

*  Deceased. 


ROLIv  OF  THE  CLASS  OP    l! 


5 


NAME  AND   ADDRESS.  PAGE 


*JACKSON,  JOHN  SIMS 89 

*JAMISON,  ANDREW  SIMPSON 91 

JEMISON,  WILIvIAM  HENRY,  East  Lake  P.  O.,  Jefferson  Co.,  Ala.  92 

*JOHNSON,  DANIEL 95 

*JONES,  GEORGE  CROW 97 

*  LEONARD,  ABRAHAM  FAW 98 

LITTLE,  THEODORE Morristown,  N.  J.  99 

MCKNIGHT,  LEWIS     .    .    .     486  Milwaukee  St. ,  Milwaukee,  Wis.  102 

*  McREE,  GRIFFITH  JOHN 103 

MONTGOMERY,  THOMAS  COLEMAN 

213  Powers  Building,  Rochester,  N.  Y.  104 

NEWBOLD,  WILLIAM  AUGUSTUS Bordentown,  N.  J.  106 

*  PATTERSON,  MALCOM  ALFRED 107 

PENDLETON,  ELISHA  BOYD 

Berkeley  Springs,  Morgan  Co.,  W.  Va.  109 

PERRINE,   LEWIS Trenton,  N.  J.  in 

*PORTER,  ABNER  ADDISON 113 

*PURNELL,  THOMAS  RICHARD 117 

*REDIN,  RICHARD  WILLIAM 119 

*RICE,  JOHN  HOLT 120 

*RICHEY,  ROBERT  THEODORE- 122 

*RIDGWAY,  CHARLES  DANIEL 123 

*  ROGERS,  WILLIAM  HENRY  LUTTRELL 124 

*  Deceased. 


6  ROLI.  OF  THE  CI.ASS  OF    1 838. 

NAME   AND   ADDRESS.  PAGE 

ROWAN,  EDWARD  STEPHEN    .  272  Ainslie  St.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y,  125 

*  SAWYER,  ROBERT  WOOD 127 

SCHENCK,  WILLIAM  EDWARD 

4006  Baltimore  Avenue,  Philadelphia,  Pa.   128 

*SCUDDER,  AMOS 135 

*  SEAMAN,  LEONARD  WILLIAM 136 

*SHERRERD,  SAMUEL 137 

*  SMITH,  JOHN   IRWIN 138 

SMITH,  WILLIAM  ASA 201  Prospect  St.,  Trenton,  N.  J.  140 

*VAN  ARSDALE,  HENRY 142 

*VAN  WYCK,  CORNELIUS  C 144 

*VAUGHAN,  BENJAMIN  BOISSEAU 145 

*WALL,  JAMES  WALTER 147 

*WATKINS,  JOEL  THOMAS 149 

*WEEKS,  SAMUEL  G 150 

*WHITELEY,  WILLIAM   GUSTAVUS 151 

*  WILLIAMS,  LEWIS  JEFPERY 153 

*  WILLIAMS,  SAMUEL  GERALDUS 155 

WOODHULL,  HENRY  WILLIAM  BECK 

124  Berkeley  Place,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  157 

*  Deceased. 


ROLL  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 


NON-GRADUATE   MEMBERS. 

NAME   AND    ADDRESS.  PAGE 

*ANCRUM,  THOMAS  JAMES 163 

BARRETT,  RUFUS  KING,  Bedford  Station,  Westchester  Co.,  N.  Y.  164 

*BONHAM,  JOHN  ELLIS 165 

*BOYD,  WILLIAM  ARMSTRONG 167 

BOYKIN,  EDWARD  MORTIMER Camden,  S.  C.  167 

*  BRANCH,  JOHN  RICHARD 169 

*BROWN,  LUTHER 170 

*BRUEN,  JAMES  McWHORTER 171 

COMFORT,  FRANCIS  MARION,  Woodville,  Wilkinson  Co.,  Miss.  173 

*  COOKE,  PATRICK  HENRY 174 

*EASON,  WILLIAM  C 175 

*  EYRE,  MANUEL 176 

*  HAMILTON,  WILLIAM 177 

*JOHNSON,  JAMES  STEVEN 178 

*LEWIS,  ELISHA  JARRETT 179 

*  LONDON,  JOHN  LORD 180 

McKAY,  NEILL, 181 

*  Deceased. 


8  ROLI.  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 

NAME   AND   ADDRESS.  PAGE 

*  Mcknight,  Robert 182 

REED,  SAMUEL 105  South  Front  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  184 

*ROUGET,  PETER 184 

*SATTERFIELD,  GEORGE  WILLIAM  BOZMAN 187 

*SNEEDEN,  HUDSON  S 188 

*  STEWART,  SAMUEL  GRIFFIN  CAMPBELL 189 

*  TAYLOR,  HENRY  PORTERFIELD 190 

VAN  GIESEN,  MORRELL     .    .  75  Washington  St.,  Geneva,  N.  Y.  191 

WADDELL,  JAMES  ADDISON,  Roxbury,  Charles  City  County,  Va.  193 

*  WELLING,  ISAAC  WATTS 194 

WINTHROP,  WILLIAM  HENRY New  London,  Conn.  195 

WIRT,  DABNEY  CARR   .    .    .  Oak  Grove,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Va.  196 

*  Deceased. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  1838. 


It  is  not  intended  in  this  Httle  book  to  claim  for  the  Class 
of  1838  any  special  superiority  over  other  classes  which  have 
preceded  and  have  followed  it.  It  only  asks  that  this  be  re- 
membered and  honored  as  one  of  many  excellent  classes 
which  have  gone  forth  from  our  Alma  Mater.  Its  chief  at- 
traction, in  the  eyes  of  its  surviving  members,  is  that  it  is  ou7' 
class. 

One  object  in  the  preparation  of  this  little  work  is  to  recall 
to  ourselves  the  old  memories  and  associations  of  college 
times,  and  thus,  in  a  measure,  to  enjoy  again  the  delights  of 
that  halcyon  period  of  human  life — a  period  whose  recollec- 
tions are  now  mellowed  by  the  lapse  of  half  a  century,  and 
made  more  sacred  by  the  havoc  death  has  wrought  among 
the  associates  of  those  days.  Here  let  me  quote  a  few  sen- 
tences from  the  pen  of  Judge  William  Patterson,  the  distin- 
guished author  of  "The  Biography  of  the  Class  of  1835,"  in 
which  he  expresses,  in  tender  and  poetic  language,  the  very 
feeling  which  prompted  (in  part)  the  preparation  of  this  simi- 
lar work  : 

"  It  is  difficult  to  convey  to  the  uninitiated  an  idea  of  the  feelings  and 
associations  aroused  by  college  memories.  Strong  at  all  times  to  the 
individual  who  can  cherish  aspirations  other  than  those  of  a  nature 
purely  selfish,  they  culminate,  when,  after  the  lapse  of  many  years,  the 
few  who  remain  nearing  the  ultima  thule  of  the  downward  slope  meet, 
perhaps  to  come  together  nevermore  on  this  side  of  The  River,  to  talk  of 
what  always  will  be  clothed  in  the  freshness  of  green — of  dream-life  and 
a  border  land  without  a  limit  or  a  shore,  and  tell  the  same  old  story 
told  in  the  heretofore  and  to  be  told  in  the  hereafter,  yet  varied  in  infin- 
ity as  the  leaves  upon  the  grass  or  sands  by  the  murmuring  ocean  tides. 
There  is  a  sentiment  of  Free  Masonry  connected  with  such  associations, 

9 


10  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

incomprehensible  to  those  never  initiated  in  those  inner  mysteries,  and 
it  is  but  the  manifestation  of  a  higher  tone  and  more  mellowed  growth, 
that  this  fellowship  is  ceasing  to  be  regarded  with  the  harsh  sneers  of 
derision  cast  over  it  in  the  primitive  days  of  a  stern  utilitarianism.  *  *  *  * 
Life,  or  what  remains  of  it  on  earth,  will  be  no  worse  to  those  who  can 
find  pleasure  in  the  dreamy  recollection  of  past  memories  and  associa- 
tions :  it  is  more  likely  that  the  future,  however  short,  could  be  contem- 
plated with  a  fuller  faith  and  better  aspirations.  And  as  memory  wan- 
ders back  and  recalls  the  many  thoughtless  gayeties  that  strewed  its 
pathway  with  summer  flowers,  it  finds  a  resting-place,  soft  and  green, 
where  life  was  a  happy  scene  of  innocent  amusement,  and  the  fleeting 
visions  that  have  passed  from  before  us  seem  almost  to  stay  in  our 
presence  forever." 

Another  object  in  this  work,  and  many  may  think  it  a  more 
practical  one,  is  to  make  a  small  contribution  to  the  coming 
"  Biography  of  Princctojt  College.'"  The  true  wealth  and 
glory  of  such  an  institution  must  be  sought  in  its  Alumni. 
Let  her  treasure  their  memories  and  carefully  preserve  their 
personal  histories,  and  thus  enable  herself  more  and  more 
proudly  to  say  to  the  world  "  These  are  my  jewels."  We  do 
earnestly  hope  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  but  very  near 
at  hand,  when  our  Alma  Mater  may  be  able  to  secure  the  ser- 
vices of  a  competent  man,  with  a  genius  for  such  work  and 
an  enthusiastic  devotion  to  it,  whose  whole  time  shall  be 
given  to  gathering  from  every  accessible  source,  to  arranging 
and  to  preserving,  all  that  can  be  learned  of  her  Alumni  from 
the  very  beginning.  Doubtless  much  valuable  material  has 
already  perished,  and  more  is  perishing  every  year.  Let 
what  yet  remains  be  gathered  and  preserved  in  a  biographical 
form.  From  this,  largely,  a  fitting  History  of  the  College 
■may  be  produced  hereafter.  If  any  one  would  learn  how 
much  can  be  done  in  a  limited  period,  and  that  by  a  city  pas- 
tor weighted  with  multitudinous  cares  and  duties,  let  him 
examine  the  volume  entitled  "  Princeton  College  in  the  Eight- 
eenth Century"  prepared  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Davies  Alex- 
ander, D.D  ,  of  this  Class  of  1838.  It  contains  an  invaluable 
treasure  of  facts  about  the  Alumni  of  the  last  century.  Before 
laying  aside  his  pen,  Dr.  Alexander  most  truthfully  says  in 
his  eloquent  Preface  : — "  The  history  of  a  College  is  best  read 
in  the  lives  of  her  sons.     The  history  of  the  changes  which 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  H 

occur  in  her  government  and  instruction  is  too  contracted  in 
its  nature.  To  take  in  the  grand  sweep  of  her  influence  we 
must  follow  her  sons  as  they  go  forth  into  the  world  to  mould 
and  direct  the  elements  that  surround  them."  And  again : 
"  Read  these  sketches  and  the  conviction  will  be  irresistible 
that  the  country,  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  the  Cause  of  high 
Christian  Culture,  owe  their  present  exalted  position  in  the 
land  to  the  noble  men  who  went  forth  from  Princeton  during 
the  last  century."  Yet  the  mine  which  Dr.  Alexander 
worked  so  successfully  is  not  exhausted,  even  in  regard  to  the 
Alumni  whose  names  adorn  his  pages.  Great  treasures  of 
information  about  Princeton  Alumni  yet  remain  to  be  gath- 
ered. Our  hope  is  that  the  authorities  of  the  College  will 
soon  take  efficient  action  to  collect  these  from  every  accessi- 
ble source  and  utilize  them.  Why  may  not  the  College  in 
the  near  future  have  a  biography  of  every  man  who  has  ever 
received  a  diploma  from  her  hands  ?  And  as  one  of  the  steps 
toward  this,  let  each  class  that  leaves  her  walls,  be  encouraged 
to  take  all  appropriate  measures  for  doing  substantially  what 
the  Class  of  1838  is  now  doing — prepare,  when  the  journey 
of  life  lies  mainly  behind  them,  a  Class  Biography,  copies  of 
which  shall  be  placed  in  possession  of  the  College.  We  are 
fully  persuaded  that  the  college  authorities,  through  these  and 
other  means,  not  only  may  secure  materials  for  a  new  future 
history  of  the  Institution,  but  would  also  attach  to  it  and  firmly 
hold  large  numbers  of  individuals  and  families  now  becoming 
forgetful  of  the  strong  and  ancient  ties  which  bind  them  to 
the  College  of  New  Jersey.  To  this  use  we  contribute  this 
little  offering. 

OUR  FRESHMAN  YEAR. 

What  a  halo  still  lingers  around  our  Freshman  year! 
Were  we  to  live  for  centuries  could  we  ever  forget  the  feel- 
ings with  which  we  assembled  on  November  5,  1834,  at  our 
first  college  recitation  in  a  front  basement  room  of  the  old  North 
College  to  meet  our  Greek  tutor,  Hugh  N.  Wilson,  who, 
from  that  day  onward,  was  known  as  "  Hugo?"  There  were 
just  twelve  of  us — the  "original  twelve  " — the  nucleus  of  the 


12  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 

class  of  1838.  The  twelve  were  Samuel  D.  Alexander, 
Thomas  J.  Ancrum,  Zenas  L.  Beach,  Clayton  Blackwell, 
Joseph  H.  Davis,  William  H.  L.  Rogers,  George  W.  B. 
Satterfield,  William  E.  Schenck,  Morrell  Van  Giesen, 
Samuel  G.  Weeks,  William  H.  Winthrop  and  Henry  W.  B. 
Woodhull.  Of  these  twelve,  five  are  yet  living,  and  of  these 
five,  three — Alexander,  Schenck  and  Woodhull,  were  present 
at  our  semi-centennial  class  meeting  on  June  20,  1888.  The 
other  living  ones  are  Van  Giesen  and  Winthrop,  who  did  not 
graduate  in  1838.  By  accessions  from  time  to  time,  at  the 
end  of  the  year  the  class  numbered  twenty-four.  It  steadily 
moved  onward  in  the  pathway  of  learning,  reading  Livy  and 
the  Odes  of  Horace  under  Tutor  Burrowes  ;  Xenophon  and 
Aeschines  under  Tutor  Wilson  ;  and  working  at  Algebra  un- 
der Adjunct  Professor  Stephen  Alexander. 

A  memorable  incident  of  this  year  was  the  burning  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church.  It  stood  on  the  same  spot 
where  the  present  edifice  stands,  but  with  its  side  to  the 
street.  We  were  all  in  the  College  Chapel  (now  the  Muse- 
um) at  5  P.M.  on  July  6,  1835,  and  President  Carnahan  was 
conducting  Evening  Prayers,  when  suddenly  the  bell  began 
to  ring  furiously,  and  the  cry  of  "  Fire  "  came  up  from  the 
street.  The  first  impression  was  that  the  College  building 
was  itself  on  fire.  The  students  rushed  from  the  Chapel, 
and  the  President  was  left  alone  and  standing  in  the  pulpit. 
When  we  reached  the  church,  flames  had  just  burst  through 
the  roof,  and  in  spite  of  all  efforts  soon  only  the  bare 
brick  walls  were  left  standing.  The  conflagration  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  caused  by  the  stick  of  a  sky-rocket  fired 
on  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  July,  two  days  before,  which  had 
entered  an  attic  window,  and  there  smouldered  until  the  fire 
burst  out.  The  burning  of  the  church  affected  the  Commence- 
ments and  some  other  exercises  of  our  whole  College  course. 

A  noteworthy  occurrence  in  the  Freshman  year  was  the 
presentation  of  a  gift  by  the  class  to  Tutor  Burrowes,  who 
was  greatly  respected  and  beloved  by  all  its  members.  As 
he  was  about  to  leave  and  become  a  Professor  in  Lafayette 
College,  the  class  purchased  a  large  and  handsome  Bible,  ap- 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  13 

pointed  the  writer  to  make  the  presentation  with  a  few  re- 
marks, and  marched  in  procession  to  his  room.  The  inter- 
view was  brief,  but  very  touching  and  memorable.  Nearly 
fifty  years  afterwards  the  writer  was  in  San  Francisco,  and 
called  to  see  his  former  tutor,  who  was  then,  as  he  is  yet,  the 
Rev.  George  Burrowes,  D.D.,  Professor  of  Greek  and  He- 
brew Exegesis  in  the  Presbyterian  Theological  Seminary  of 
San  Francisco.  Dr.  Burrowes  spoke  of  our  Freshman  gift 
almost  with  tears,  and  showed  him  the  Bible,  carefully  pre- 
served. Having  subsequently  sent  the  Professor  a  printed 
account  of  our  Semi-Centennial  Class  Meeting  on  June  20, 
1888,  in  which  he  was  mentioned  as  now  our  only  surviving 
college  instructor,  the  writer  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Bur- 
rowes in  which  he  wrote:  "Among  the  pleasures  crowning 
my  old  age  [Dr.  Burrowes  is  now  in  his  seventy-ninth  year] 
not  the  least  delightful  were  my  meetings  with  you  on  your 
recent  visit  to  this  Coast,  and  the  refreshing  influence  of  such 
a  renewal  of  the  friendship  of  early  manhood.  Your  kind 
remembrance  of  me  at  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  your  class 
graduation  touched  me  deeply.  I  thank  and  bless  you  for 
all  your  friendship,  kindliness  and  affection.  The  Bible  was 
beautiful  in  typography,  and  is  one  of  the  delightful  remem- 
brances of  my  life.  It  is  inscribed — '  Presented  to  George 
Burrowes,  Tutor,  by  the  Freshman  Class  of  Princeton  Col- 
lege, as  a  Testimonial  of  their  high  regard  for  him,  Septem- 
ber, 1835.'  It  hangs  as  a  beautiful  fixed  star  over  those  early 
days,  never  sinking  below  the  horizon  of  memory  during  all 
the  revolutions  of  the  following  years.  I  remember  very  pleas- 
santly  Dr.  Woodhull,  Mr.  Jemison  and  Dr.  S.  D.  Alexander, 
of  your  class."  As  has  been  intimated  above,  Dr.  Burrowes 
is  now  the  only  living  instructor  of  any  of  our  college  days. 
Long  may  he  linger  in  life  to  bless  us  and  to  be  blest  by  us ! 
The  commencement  at  the  end  of  our  Freshman  year  was 
one  of  unusual  interest.  In  consequence  of  the  recent  de- 
struction by  fire  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  which 
the  Commencement  exercises  had  been  held  since  its  first 
erection,  a  large  canvas  tent  had  been  set  up  against  the  rear 
end  or  southeastern  wall  of  the  chapel,  now   the  Museum. 


14  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 

Under  this  the  usual  exercises  were  this  year  held  on  Sep- 
tember 30th.  Here  the  Hon.  William  Gaston,  of  North  Car- 
olina, delivered  his  famous  Annual  Address  before  the  two 
Literary  Societies.  It  occupied  two  hours  in  the  delivery, 
and  was  a  masterpiece  of  intellectual  power  and  oratorical 
grace.  Here  also  Nicholas  Biddle,  the  great  President  of  the 
old  United  States  Bank  which  General  Andrew  Jackson 
vetoed,  delivered  his  equally  famous  oration  before  the  Alumni 
Association — an  oration  everywhere  and  long  spoken  of  as 
polished,  powerful,  elegant  and  eloquent  to  an  extraordinary 
degree. 

OUR  SOPHOMORE  YEAR. 

On  the  opening  of  the  Sophomore  year,  on  the  8th  day  of 
December,  1835,  our  twenty-four  Freshmen  found  themselves 
overwhelmed  and  almost  lost  in  a  large  accession  of  nearly 
fifty  new  classmates,  making  before  the  end  of  the  year  sev- 
enty-four in  all.  They  were  led  forward  in  Euclid  and  Trig- 
onometry by  the  diffident  but  able  Professor  Stephen  Alex- 
ander ;  through  portions  of  Horace  and  Cicero  by  one  of  the 
Tutors ;  and  Demosthenes  and  Homer's  Iliad  under  the  very 
intelligent  and  attractive  guidance  of  Professor  John  S.  Hart. 

The  most  memorable  event  in  our  Sophomore  year  was  the 
burial  at  Princeton  of  the  famous  Colonel  Aaron  Burr,  at  one 
time  Vice-President  of  the  United  States.  He  died  Septem- 
ber 13th,  1836,  at  the  Richmond  House,  on  Staten  Island, 
N.  Y.,  in  his  eighty-first  year.  We  insert  an  account  of  the 
funeral  service  found  in  The  Nezvark  Daily  Advertiser,  of  Fri- 
day, September  19,  1836,  believed  to  have  been  written  by 
the  Rev.  James  W.  Alexander,  D.D. : 

"  Princeton,  Sept.  17,  1836.  The  body  of  Col.  Aaron  Burr  was  re- 
ceived from  New  York  at  Amboy  and  taken  to  Hightstown  on  the  rail- 
road, whence  it  was  brought  to  Princeton  in  a  hearse,  accompanied  in  a 
carriage  by  the  pall-bearers  : — Gen.  Robert  Swartwout,  Col.  S.  Swart- 
wout.  Col.  J.  W.  Scott,  Col.  Romeyn,  Gen.  Bogardus,  Major  Popham, 
H.  M.  Western  and  Samuel  Copp,  Esqs.  The  remains  reached  town 
about  noon  and  were  deposited  in  the  College  Chapel,  where  the  de- 
ceased had  often  listened  to  the  voice  of  prayer  from  his  venerable 
maternal  grandfather,  the  pious  President  Edwards.     At  the  appointed 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  15 

hour  the  Faculty  and  students  with  some  of  the  citizens  of  the  borough, 
assembled  at  the  chapel  and  soon  after  3  p.  m.  the  services  were  appro- 
priately commenced  with  the  reading  of  the  90th  Psalm  and  a  prayer 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Van  Pelt,  who  had  attended  the  sickness  of  the  deceased 
on  Staten  Island.  President  Carnahan  then  followed  with  an  impres- 
sive, judicious  and  appropriate  discourse  from  I  Cor.  vii.  31  :  "For  the 
fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away.''  He  briefly  sketched  the  history  of 
the  deceased,  and  remarked  on  his  honorable  parentage  and  his  con- 
nection with  the  College.  His  public  career  was  delicately  touched, 
with  only  such  allusions  to  his  duel  with  Hamilton  as  might  be  of  ser- 
vice to  the  assembly  without  wounding  the  feelings  of  any.  The  ser- 
vices in  the  Chapel  were  closed  with  a  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Benj.  H. 
Rice,  D.D.  A  large  funeral  procession  was  formed  on  the  College 
Green,  composed  of  the  Mercer  Guards,  the  clergy,  the  corpse  and 
chief  mourners,  the  Cliosophic  Society,  the  Faculty  and  students  of  the 
College  and  Seminary,  citizens,  &c.  The  body  was  deposited  at  the 
foot  of  his  father's  grave  with  the  honors  of  war — the  Mercer  Guards 
firing  a  volley  over  the  grave.'' 

The  Cliosophic  Society  adopted  a  resolution  "  that  the 
efiforts  of  this  individual  on  behalf  of  our  Society  during  her 
infant  struggle  and  the  affectionate  interest  he  has  at  all  times 
manifested  for  her  success,  claim  from  us  an  expression  of 
condolence  for  his  loss  and  of  gratitude  for  his  service."  It 
was  also  resolved  that  "the  members  of  the  Society  will  wear 
crape  on  the  left  arm  for  thirty  days :"  which  was  done. 
Never  can  we  forget  that  melancholy  march  from  the  College 
to  the  grave,  the  long  procession,  of  which  our  Sophomore 
Class  (including  the  writer)  formed  a  part,  headed  by  a  brass 
band  playing  as  a  dead  march  "  The  Portuguese  Hymn,"  and 
filling  the  streets  of  Princeton  with  its  wailing  strains.  A 
tombstone,  paid  for  mainly  by  the  Edwards  family  of  New 
York,  was  afterwards  erected  over  his  grave.  It  is  astonish- 
ing how  many  stories,  absolutely  and  wholly  false,  have  been 
invented  and  published  about  Colonel  Burr's  burial.  As  our 
class  were  not  only  eye-witnesses,  but  also  participants  in  the 
whole  affair,  the  writer  has  on  that  account  been  more  care- 
ful to  give  a  plain  and  full  statement  of  the  occurrence. 

The  erection  of  the  West  College  was  finished  this  year, 
and  a  number  of  its  rooms  were  occupied  by  members  of  our 
class  during  the  Junior  year. 


16  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 


OUR  JUNIOR  YEAR. 

In  its  Junior  year  the  class  was  further  enlarged  from  74 
to  87  members,  an  unusual  addition  for  that  advanced  stage 
of  the  course.  The  total  number  of  students  in  the  college 
was  240.  Now  we  entered  upon  the  mazes  of  Analytical 
Geometry  and  Differential  and  Integral  Calculus  under  the 
guidance  of  that  admirable  preceptor,  Professor  Albert  B. 
Dod.  In  this  field  he  was  beyond  compare,  "  and  as  he  illus- 
trated the  propositions  as  only  he  could  do,"  one  of  his  pupils 
has  written,  "  we  marvelled  much  that  what  he  made  appear 
so  easy  and  so  plain,  to  us  should  seem  so  wondrous  hard." 
Now,  too,  we  really  enjoyed  \\v^  teachings  of  President  Carna- 
han  and  of  Doctors  Maclean  and  J.  W.  Alexander.  As  having 
attained  the  dignity  of  Juniors,  we  were  also  freed  (except  on 
Monday  mornings)  from  the  irksomeness  of  the  early  recita- 
tions before  breakfast,  which  we  had  been  obliged  to  attend 
throughout  our  Freshman  and  Sophomore  years. 

The  memorable  event  of  this  year  was  the  undertaking  of 
the  American  Whig  and  Cliosophic  Societies,  to  erect  two 
new  Literary  Halls.  Their  views  and  wishes  having  been  made 
known  to  the  Faculty  and  Trustees  of  the  College,  were  sanc- 
tioned by  both.  Each  Society  then  appointed  a  Committee 
to  solicit  subscriptions  from  the  Alumni;  Commodore  Robert 
F.  Stockton  heading  the  Whig  subscription  list  with  one 
thousand  dollars.  We  do  not  remember  the  names  of  other 
large  subscribers.  The  erection  of  Clio  Hall  was  begun  first, 
but  they  were  finished  at  very  nearly  the  same  time.  It  was 
the  Class  of  1838,  in  its  Junior  year,  that  fully  initiated  these 
enterprises,  but  the  new  Halls  were  not  occupied  by  the  So- 
cieties until  after  our  graduation.  Ah  !  how  both  Whigs  and 
Clios  suffered  for  years  from  over-crowding  and  lack  of  ventila- 
tion and  fresh  air  in  those  old  third-story  Halls  with  their  low 
arched  ceilings.  Our  successors  for  the  last  fifty  years  have 
never  known  what  a  deliverance  they  have  had  through  the 
efforts  of  the  Class  of  1838,  and  what  a  debt  of  gratitude  they 
have  been  owing  us. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  this  year  (1837)  observed  at  Prince- 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  17 

ton  with  unusual  spirit.  The  national  flag  was  hoisted  at 
sunrise  with  the  ringing  of  bells  and  firing  of  cannon;  a  na- 
tional salute  was  fired  also  at  noon  and  at  sunset,  and  in  the 
evening  the  College  buildings  were  illuminated,  and  there  was 
a  grand  display  of  fireworks.  There  was  speaking  in  the 
Seminary  Chapel  both  forenoon  and  afternoon,  the  rebuilt 
Presbyterian  Church  not  being  yet  ready  for  use.  A  proces- 
sion was  formed  in  the  College  Campus  and  marched  to  the 
Chapel  under  the  lead  of  Major  John  A.  Perrine,  Marshal  of 
the  day.  The  exercises  were  as  follows  :  Forenoon — Reading 
of  The  Declaration  of  Independence  by  Joshua  Hall  Mcllvaine, 
of  Delaware;  an  oration  by  Joseph  Branch,  of  North  Carolina; 
an  oration  by  A.  Gardiner  Mercer,  of  Pennsylvania.  After- 
noon— Speeches  by  members  of  the  Class  of  1838,  viz.: 
Samuel  G.  Williams,  of  North  Carolina;  Edward  S.  Rowan, 
of  New  York;  William  A.  Dod,  of  New  Jersey;  J.  Willard 
Gibbs,  of  Pennsylvania ;  John  M.  Eager,  of  New  York ;  and 
James  S.  Carper,  of  Virginia. 

The  Commencement  of  1837  was  held  in  the  newly  rebuilt 
Presbyterian  Church.  Its  most  striking  feature  was  the  de- 
livery of  a  magnificent  oration  on  "  The  Bible  and  its  Literary 
Claims,"  by  the  Hon.  Samuel  L.  Southard,  LL.D. 

OUR  SENIOR  YEAR. 

In  the  Senior  year  the  class  was  decreased  in  numbers  from 
eighty-seven  to  seventy-five.  The  latter  was  the  number 
which  passed  the  final  examination,  and  received  diplomas. 
The  whole  number  of  students  in  the  college  was  two  hundred 
and  thirty-seven. 

Now  we  enjoyed  "  the  cream  of  our  course."  Were  we  to 
live  hundreds  of  years,  could  we  ever  forget  the  splendid 
series  of  lectures  on  Natural  Philosophy,  with  bewitching 
illustrations,  given  by  the  peerless  Professor  Joseph  Henry  ? 
Or  the  profoundly  interesting  and  instructive  courses  of  Pro- 
fessor John  Torrey  on  Chemistry,  and  of  Professor  Albert  B. 
Dod,  on  Architecture,  and  of  Professor  James  W.  Alexander, 
on  Belles  Lettres  ?     Ah  !  those  were  golden  days,  indeed. 

And  here,  after  the   lapse  of  fifty  years ;  after  having  had 


18  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 83 8. 

much  experience  of  men  and  things,  in  various  walks  of  life ; 
and  after  having  (most  of  us)  watched  carefully  the  education 
of  other  children  and  our  own — the  survivors  of  the  class  of 
1838  wish  to  bear  hearty  testimony  to  the  ability  and  fidelity 
of  each  and  all  their  college  instructors,  and  to  the  wisdom 
that  marked  the  course  of  instruction  and  government  of  the 
venerable  institution,  with  which  they  are  glad  and  proud  to 
have  been  connected  half  a  century  ago. 

The  Fourth  of  July  in  1838,  was  kept  in  Princeton  very 
much  as  the  last  had  been.  The  exercises  were  again  held  in 
the  Seminary  Chapel,  but  there  were  only  two  speakers.  The 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  read  by  Charles  S.  Beardsley, 
of  New  York,  and  appropriate  orations  were  delivered  by  Ab- 
ner  A.  Porter,  of  Alabama,  and  Samuel  G.  Williams,  of  North 
Carolina,  of  which  the  Princeton  newspaper  testified  that  "  the 
orations  did  honor  to  the  speakers  and  to  the  occasion." 

In  this  year  occurred  "The  Rape  of  the  Cannon,"  as  it  was 
called — the  removal  by  night  of  the  big  cannon  from  Queens- 
ton  to  the  college  grounds.  Those  who  desire  to  read  a  full 
account  of  this  matter,  may  find  it  in  that  most  valuable  and 
interesting  work,  which  every  Princeton  alumnus  should  pos- 
sess— Hageman's  Princeton  and  its  Institutions,  Vol.  ii.  pp. 
317-19.  This  big  cannon  had  been  left  in  Princeton  after  the 
battle  of  Princeton,  in  the  last  century,  but  was  sent  to  New 
Brunswick  for  use  in  the  defense  of  that  city  in  the  war  of 
181 2,  and  remained  there  until  about  1836,  when  some  citizens 
of  Princeton  brought  it  back,  and  left  it  at  the  east  end  of  the 
town.  In  1838  a  large  number  of  students,  among  whom 
were  W.  A.  Smith,  O.  S.  Halsted,  A.  S.  Dandridge  and  many 
other  members  of  the  Senior  Class,  having  engaged  a  heavy 
wagon  and  teams,  went  in  the  night  and  brought  it  to  the 
college  campus.  Two  years  later  it  was  plugged,  and  planted 
in  the  grounds  back  of  the  old  North  College,  where  it  yet 
remains.  In  the  biographical  notice  of  W.  A.  Smith,  on  a  later 
page,  may  be  found  some  details  of  this  affair. 


PRINCETON  COLIvEGE.  19 


OUR  COMMENCEMENT. 


This  was,  of  course,  "  the  day  of  days,"  to  which  we  had 
long  been  eagerly  looking  forward.  The  weather  on  Monday 
and  Tuesday  was  highly  propitious  for  a  pleasant  Commence- 
ment. There  was  no  dust,  no  mud  ;  it  was  moderately  cool 
and  very  pleasant.  On  Tuesday  afternoon  Colonel  J.  W. 
Scott,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  addressed  the  American 
Whig  and  Cliosophic  Societies  in  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  audience.  His  address 
was  eloquent  and  earnest,  presenting  many  historical  facts  in 
reference  to  the  College  and  its  former  Presidents,  and  was 
listened  to  with  lively  interest  to  its  close.  On  Tuesday  even- 
ing the  church  was  again  crowded  to  hear  the  Junior  orators 
of  the  class  of  1839,  and  the  speaking  was  good. 

But  alas  !  about  midnight  it  began  to  rain.  It  gradually 
increased,  and  stormed  all  through  Wednesday  (Commence- 
ment Day)  to  the  great  inconvenience  of  everybody,  and  pre- 
venting the  attendance  of  the  usually  large  and  crowded  audi- 
ence. Nevertheless,  the  church  was  fairly  filled,  and  the 
exercises  proceeded  as  usual.  It  pleased  T/ie  Princeton  Whig 
to  say  in  its  next  issue  that  "  those  who  succeeded  in  being 
present  on  this  interesting  occasion  were  amply  repaid.  The 
graduating  class  reflected  credit  on  themselves  and  their 
Alma  Mater''  After  the  Valedictory  a  recess  of  half  an  hour 
took  place,  when  the  Hon.  James  McDowell,  of  Lexing- 
ton, former  Governor  of  Virginia,  addressed  the  Alumni 
Association  of  the  College  for  an  hour  and  fifty  minutes  in  a 
most  eloquent  and  energetic  manner.  The  audience  was 
thoroughly  enraptured ;  and  when  he  closed,  the  sensation 
pervading  it  reminded  one  of  those  scenes  so  forcibly  de- 
scribed in  Wirt's  "  Life  of  Patrick  Henry." 

Before  the  writer  lies  an  old  copy  of  the  hand-bill  distrib- 
uted through  the  church  on  that  day.  Four  of  the  speakers 
named  upon  it  are  yet  living.  As  it  will  interest  at  least 
them,  and  perhaps  some  children,  relatives  and  friends  of 
those  who  have  passed  away,  we  will  reproduce  it  here : 


20  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 

COLLEGE  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 


COMMENCEMENT,    SEPTEMBER    26,    1 838. 


ORDER  OF  EXERCISES. 

PRAYER    BY  THE  PRESIDENT. 
MUSIC. 

Daniel  Johnson,  N.  C. — Latin  Salutatory. 

Laurence  O'B.  Branch,  N.  C. — English  Salutatory.    The  Position  of 
Russia  with  regard  to  the  other  European  Powers. 

MUSIC. 

*  Benjamin    B.    Vaughan,    Va. — Comparison   between   Leibnitz   and 

Newton. 
William  E.  Schenck,  N.  J. — Courage  of  the  Christian  compared  with 
that  of  the  Man  of  Honor. 

*  Theodore  Little,  N.  J. — Palmyra. 

MUSIC. 

William  A,  Dod,  N.  J. — Differences. 

James  V.  Z.  Blaney,  Del. — Pyramids  of  Egypt. 

*  William     M.     Hollyday,    Md. — The    Influence    of   Transatlantic 

Opinion  on  America. 

MUSIC. 
William  G.  Whiteley,  Del. — The  Decay  of  Infidelity  in  our  Age. 
*Griffith  J.  McRee,  N.  C. — Obsequies  and  Monuments  for  the  Dead. 
James  S.  Carper,  Va. — The  Intellect  of  the  Eighteenth  Century. 

MUSIC. 

Oliver  S.  Halsted,  Jr.,  N.  J. — The  World  after  the  Flood. 
Edward  S.  Clark,  N.  J. — The  Last  Days  of  Granada. 
Charles  S.  Beardsley,  N.  Y. — True  Greatness. 

MUSIC. 
Cornelius  C.  Van  Wyck,  N.  Y. — Human  Life  Insignificant  except  in 

regard  to  the  Future. 
John  M.  Eager,  N.  Y. — The  Political  Lessons  taught  by  the  Revolu- 
tions of  South  America. 
James  W.  Wall,  N.  J. — Presentiments  and  Associations  as  affecting 
the  Mind. 

MUSIC. 

THE   CONFERRING  OF  DEGREES. 
Abner  a.  Porter,  Ala. — Valedictory. 

Prayer  and  Benediction. 
*  Excused. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  21 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  exercises  we  all  shook  hands  upon 
the  platform  and  bade  each  other  farewell ;  much  the  larger 
majority  of  the  class  never  to  meet  again  on  earth. 

The  Class  of  1838  was,  by  nine,  the  largest  which  had  then 
ever  graduated  from  the  College, 

A.n  understanding  had  been  passed  among  the  members  of 
the  class  that  as  many  of  us  as  possible  would  meet  in  Prince- 
ton at  the  Commencement  of  1858,  twenty  years  aft-er  gradua- 
tion. But  no  one  person  had  the  matter  in  charge  ;  no  indi- 
vidual was  notified  as  the  time  approached ;  probably  most  of 
the  members  had  forgotten  it.  When  the  appointed  day 
arrived,  only  five  of  the  class  were  present,  viz.  :  William 
A.  Dod,  Oliver  S.  Halsted,  Jr.,  James  W.  Wall,  Lewis  J.  Wil- 
liams, and  Henry  W.  B.  WoodhuU.  It  was  reported  to  them 
that  19  members  of  the  class  had  died,  and  that  two,  Branch 
and  Whiteley,  were  members  of  the  last  Congress.  Dr. 
Woodhull,  the  only  one  of  that  five  who  is  now  living,  says  of 
this  meeting  :  "  From  the  small  number  present,  it  was  quite  an 
informal  affair,  and  was  grouped  only  at  the  Alumni  Dinner 
in  the.  Old  Refectory  of  Henry  Clow  memory — not  the  base- 
ment, but  the  room  over  it.  I  think  that  Dod  and  Halsted 
were  speakers  at  the  dinner — possibly  Wall,  also — I  cannot 
say.  The  small  representation  of  the  class  was  like  a  wet 
blanket  to  us  all." 

OUR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL  CLASS-MEETING- 

After  the  small  meeting  in  1858,  above  described,  no  at- 
tempt was  made  to  hold  another  until  1888.  Two  or  three  of 
the  remnant  of  the  class  still  living  then  agreed  to  make  a 
vigorous  effort  to  bring  together  as  many  as  possible  of  the 
survivors.  The  result  of  this  effort  and  of  an  earnest  corre- 
spondence was  that  one  of  the  most  notable  class  meetings 
which  has  occurred  in  the  history  of  the  College  of  New  Jer- 
sey took  place  on  Commencement  Day,  June  20,  1888,  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  graduation  of  the  Class  of  ''}^'i.  It 
was  held  at    12  M.  at  the  house  of  Miss  Julia  T.  Smith,  third 


22  HISTORY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

door  southwest  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Princeton. 
That  lady  was  deeply  interested  in  this  gathering,  from  the 
fact  that  one  relative,  the  Rev.  W.  E.  Schenck,  D.D.,  and 
several  old  and  valued  acquaintances,  were  members  of  the 
class,  at  whose  graduation  she  was  present  fifty  years  before.  So 
she  generously  proffered  the  use  of  her  parlors  as  the  place  for 
their  meeting,  and  gave  them  in  addition  a  bountiful  lunch. 
When  this  Class  of  1838  was  graduated,  seventy-five  of  its 
members  received  diplomas.  Of  these,  at  the  end  of  fifty 
years,  twenty  were  living  and  fifty-five  were  deceased.  And 
of  the  twenty  still  living  fourteen  were  present  at  the  ap- 
pointed hour.     They  were : 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Alexander,  D.D.,  New  York  City 
Bloomfield  J.  Beach,  Esq.,  ....  Rome,  N.  Y. 
Charles  S.  Beardsley,  Esq.,    .     .     .     Auburn,  N.  Y. 

Edward  S.  Clarke,  Esq., Philadelphia. 

James  S.  L.  Cummins,  Esq.,  .  .  New  York  City. 
Capt.  Wm.  H.  Jemison,  .  .  Birmingham,  Ala. 
Lewis  McKnight,  M.D.,  ....  Milwaukee,  Wis. 
William  A.  Newbold,  Esq  .  .  Bordentown,  N.  J. 
Elisha  B.  Pendleton,  M.D.,  Berkeley  Springs,  W.  Va. 

Gen.  Lewis   Perrine, Trenton,  N.  J. 

Edward  S.  Rowan,  Esq.,  ....  Brooklyn,  N,  Y. 
Rev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.D.,   .     .     Philadelphia. 

William  A.  Smith,  Esq., Trenton,  N.  J. 

Major  Henry  W.  B.  Woodhull,  M.D.,  Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

The  six  living  absentees  were  : 

Col.  James  W.  Abert, Newport,  Ky. 

William  Temple  Allen,  Esq.,  Gaylord,  Clarke  Co.,  Va. 
Alexander  S.  Campbell,  Esq.,  .  .  Loch  Raven,  Md. 
*Alex.  S.  Dandridge,  M.D.,  .  .  .  Cincinnati,  O. 
Theodore  Little,  Esq.,  ....  Morristown,  N.  J. 
Thomas  C.  Montgomery,  Esq.,     .    Rochester,  N.  Y. 

When  the  class  had  assembled  it  unanimously  elected  the 

*  Since  deceased. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  23 

Rev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D  D.,  to  be  its  President;  Bloom- 
field  J.  lieach,  Esq.,  its  Vice-President ;  and  Major  H.  W.  B. 
Woodhull,  M.D.,  its  Secretary.  The  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Alex- 
ander, D.D.,  being  called  upon,  led  the  meeting  in  an  earnest 
and  tender  praj^er.  After  this  the  presiding  officer  gave  the 
class  many  items  of  interesting  information  about  its  history 
from  the  beginning  of  its  Freshman  year  on  to  its  day  of 
graduation.  Its  instructors,  including  President  Carnahan ; 
its  Professors,  the  last  being  the  well-beloved  Dr.  John  Mac- 
lean ;  its  Tutors,  had  all  passed  to  the  eternal  world,  except 
Tutor  Burrowes,  who  heard  the  Latin  recitations  in  the 
Freshman  year,  and  of  whom  Dr.  Schenck  told  the  class 
that  he  still  lives  at  the  green  and  useful  age  of  seventy-eight 
years,  a  Professor  in  the  Presbyterian  Theological  Seminary 
of  .San  Francisco,  Cal.,  as  the  honored  Rev.  George  Bur- 
rowes, D.D. 

An  hour  and  a  half  were  passed  in  lively  and  most  enjoy- 
able talk,  and  from  all  sides  reminiscences  were  poured  forth. 
Many  were  the  tender  references  to  the  departed,  but  it  was 
found  that  with  few  exceptions  they  had  lived  useful  and 
honorable  lives,  had  thus  secured  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  their  fellow-men,  and  had  finally  departed,  a  large  propor- 
tion of  them,  in  the  bright  hope  of  eternal  happiness  through 
a  Redeemer's  merits.  So  sadness  was  a  very  subordinate 
element,  and  warm  affection,  joy  at  meeting  again,  and  pleas- 
ing hopes  for  the  future  were  the  predominant  feelings  of 
the  time.  The  lunch  so  generously  provided  for  them  was 
well  enjoyed.  Mr.  Edward  S.  Clarke  presented  a  letter  of 
thanks  to  Miss  Smith  for  her  generous  hospitality,  which  was 
adopted,  signed  by  all  present  and  presented  to  her. 

On  motion  of  Gen.  Perrine  it  was  resolved  that  a  Memorial 
Pamphlet  of  the  class  of  1838  be  prepared  and  printed,  to 
contain  a  biographical  sketch  of  each  member  of  the  class, 
living  or  dead,  as  well  as  any  other  matters  of  interest  con- 
nected with  the  class.  On  motion  of  Mr.  Rowan  the  Rev. 
Dr.  W.  E.  Schenck  was  requested  to  prepare  this  pamphlet, 
assisted  by  Rev.  Dr.  S.  D.  Alexander  and  Dr.  H.  VV.  B. 
Woodhull.    On  motion  of  Mr.  J.  S.  L.  Cummins  it  was  unani- 


24  HISTORY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

mously  resolved  that  the  members  of  the  class  now  present 
will  pay  the  cost  of  such  pamphlet  as  soon  as  it  shall  be 
ascertained. 

A  badge,  thoughtfully  supplied  for  each  and  all  by  Gen. 
Perrine  at  his  own  expense — a  pin  with  the  letters  '38  in 
gold,  figures — was  attached  by  each  to  the  lapel  of  his  coat, 
and  these  veteran  alumni  joined  the  procession,  entered  the 
church  and  were  seated  upon  the  platform,  where  they  were 
delighted  listeners  to  the  services  connected  with  the  inaug- 
uration of  the  Rev.  Francis  L.  Patton,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  as  the 
new  President  of  the  College,  and  especially  to  Dr.  Patton's 
own  rich  and  grand  inaugural  address. 

Then,  returning  to  their  headquarters  at  Miss  Smith's, 
they  resumed  their  free  and  fraternal  talk.  Only  too  fast  the 
moments  flew  until  near  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  when 
they  bade  each  other  farewell,  and  most  of  them  took  the 
cars  for  their  various  homes,  all — even  those  who  had  trav- 
eled farthest — declaring  that  their  time,  their  expenditure  and 
their  fatigue  had  been  a  thousand-fold  repaid  in  the  rich  en- 
joyment experienced  during  this  precious  interview  with 
their  classmates  of  long  ago.  The  most  of  them  had  not 
seen  each  other  since  they  parted  on  the  Commencement 
stage,  fifty  years  before.  It  is  not  probable  that  all  of  them 
will  meet  again  in  this  world. 

It  seems  proper  here  to  mention  that  seven  members  of  the 
class,  viz. — ^Jemison,  Woodhull,  Newbold,  Schenck,  Smith, 
Perrine  and  Clarke,  being  on  the  ground  the  day  before 
(June  19th),  sat  together  at  the  Alumni  Dinner  in  University 
Hall,  where,  by  request  of  the  others,  Mr.  W.  H.  Jemison 
made  a  brief  and  appropriate  address  as  the  representative  of 
his  class,  when  called  on  by  the  presiding  officer. 

SUMMARY. 

From  the  biographical  sketches  found  on  the  following 
pages  it  appears  that  of  the  75  graduate  members  of  the  class, 
40  were  Clios  and  35  were  Whigs.  Fifty-nine  married,  and  16 
did  not.  One  hundred  and  eighty-seven  living  children  and 
84    grandchildren    have    been   reported.     Six    served    in  the 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  25 

United  States  Ariny  and  6  in  the  Confederate  Army  during 
the  civil  war  of  1861-65.  Of  these,  one,  Gen.  L.  O'B.  Branch, 
was  killed  in  battle.  In  religious  views  34  were  Presbyterian  ; 
15  Episcopalians;  the  remainder  not  known.  Professionally, 
34  were  lawyers,  14  physicians,  1 1  ministers  of  the  gospel ; 
and  of  the  latter  ten  were  Presbyterians  and  1  Episcopalian. 
Of  the  physicians,  2  have  been  Surgeons  in  the  United  States 
Army  and  2  Pay-Directors  in  the  United  States  Navy.  One  has 
been  a  United  States  Senator,  2  members  of  the  U.  S.  House 
of  Representatives,  3  members  of  State  Legislatures,  3 
judges,  2  college  presidents,  4  college  professors,  9  authors,  4 
editors,  3  teachers,  9  business  men  and  8  ruling  elders  in 
Presbyterian  churches. 

Of  the  29  non-gradiiatc  members  of  the  class,  8  are  reported 
to  have  left  college  because  of  poor  health.  The  reasons  of 
the  .others  are  not  known,  but  there  is  no  reason  to  believe 
that  any  one  of  them  left  because  of  any  disciplinary  action  on 
the  part  of  the  college  authorities.  Sixteen  of  them  were 
Clios,  and  13  Whigs.  Twenty-three  of  them  married,  6  never 
did.  They  have  reported  85  living  children  and  23  grand- 
children. Two  of  them  served  in  the  Confederate  Army.  In 
religious  views  15  were  Presbyterians,  4  P^piscopalians,  the  re- 
mainder not  known.  Three  have  been  ruling  elders  in  Pres- 
byterian churches.  In  profession,  7  were  lawyers,  3  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  6  physicians,  3  teachers,  4  business  men,  and  4 
planters  or  farmers.  One  was  a  member  of  Congress,  one  a 
judge,  one  a  State  Legislator  and  one  an  author. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  following  sketches  the  writer  has 
been  both  surprised  and  delighted  to  learn  that  so  very  few  of 
his  classmates  made  shipwreck  on  the  voyage  of  life;  that  so 
large  a  proportion  of  them,  as  brave  and  noble  men,  have  done 
their  life-work  well;  that  so  many  of  them  have  left  good 
ground  for  the  hope  that  they  will  be  present  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  higher  blessings  and  more  splendid  rewards  than  any 
earth  can  give — at  our  Next,  our  Grandest,  our  Unending 
Class  Re-union  be}'ond  The  River. 


26  BIOGRAPHY   OF    THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 


GRADUATE   MEMBERS. 

COL.  JA:\IES  WILLIAM   ABERT,   A.M.,  U.  S.  A. 

James  William  Abert  is  a  son  of  Major  John  James  Abert 
and  Mrs.  Ellen  Matlock  (Stretch)  Abert.  He  was  born  at 
Mount  Holly,  N.  J.,  November  18,  1820.  The  permanent 
home  of  his  parents  was  in  Washington,  D.  C,  but  his  father 
being  a  Major  of  Topographical  Engineers,  in  the  United 
States  army,  was  engaged  about  the  year  1820  on  the  United 
States  Coast  Survey,  his  family  temporarily  residing  at  Mount 
Holly.  It  was  then  and  there  our  classmate  was  born.  He 
was  prepared  for  college  at  the  Select  Classical  Seminary,  in 
Washington,  D,  C,  under  the  tuition  of  Salmon  P.  Chase, 
afterwards  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  Chief  Justice  of  the 
United  States,  and  of  Hamilton  Smith. 

He  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  in  1835,  and  became  a 
member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  of  medium 
stature,  strongly  built,  of  sunny  temperament,  social  disposi- 
tion, and  was  popular  among  his  fellow-students. 

After  his  graduation  Abert  went  to  West  Point  Military 
Academy,  September  i,  1838,  and  was  graduated  therefrom  in 
1842.  He  remained  in  connection  with  the  army  many  years, 
and  his  services  were  varied  and  important.  A  full  account 
of  them  would  fill  a  large  volume.  We  must  content  our- 
selves with  a  very  condensed  outline.  His  first  service 
was  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  then  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
was  engaged    in  the  trigonometric  and    geodetic    surveys  of 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  27 

the  great  lakes.  In  1845  he  joined  General  Fremont's  expe- 
dition to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  returning  along  the  Canadian 
River  to  Fort  Gibson.  In  1847  he  marched  over  the  great 
prairies  to  take  part  in  the  conquest  of  New  Mexico,  under 
such  commanders  as  Generals  W.  S.  Kearney,  Donophan  and 
Sterling  Price.  In  1848  and  1849  he  was  Assistant  Professor 
at  West  Point  (N.  Y.)  U.  S.  Military  Academy.  In  1850  to 
1856  he  was  engaged  on  the  improvement  of  Western  rivers, 
first  with  Stephen  H.  Long  and  General  J.  E.  Johnston,  and 
afterwards  in  sole  charge.  In  1856  to  1858  he  took  part  in 
driving  the  Seminoles  out  of  Florida,  under  that  most  valiant 
Indian  fighter.  General  W.  S.  Harney.  In  r86o  he  traveled  in 
Europe,  noting  its  military  arms  and  condition.  In  1861  he 
joined  General  Robert  Patterson  in  the  march  up  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley,  in  Virginia.  In  1862  he  was  with  General  N. 
P.  Banks.  In  the  fall  of  1863  he  joined  General  Q.  A.  Gil- 
mour  at  the  siege  of  Charleston.  In  1864  he  resigned  from 
the  army,  and  until  1869  was  engaged  in  business  in  Cincin- 
nati. From  1869  to  1871  he  was  Examiner  of  Patents  in  the 
Department  of  the  Interior,  having  been  appointed  to  that 
office  by  General  U.  S.  Grant.  In  the  fall  of  1871  he  resigned 
as  Examiner  of  Patents,  and  accepted  the  Professorship  of 
English  Literature,  in  the  Missouri  State  University,  at 
Columbus,  Mo.  In  1872  he  was  detached  by  the  mother 
university  to  assist  Professor  C.  P.  Williams  in  organizing  the 
Missouri  School  of  Mines,  at  Rolla,  Mo.  In  the  fall  of  1878 
he  resigned  his  professorship  in  order  to  give  attention  to  his 
personal  business  affairs,  at  Newport,  Ky.  In  1886  he  made 
a  second  European  tour  through  Germany,  Switzerland,  Italy 
and  France.  "  Since  that  time,"  he  writes,  "  I  am  residing  as 
quietly  as  I  can  in  the  modest  little  town  of  Newport,  Ky." 

Colonel  Abert  participated  in  many  actual  and  some  fierce 
engagements.  He  was  with  General  Patterson  at  the  skirmish 
of  Falling  Waters,  Va.;  with  General  N.  P.  Banks  in  the 
Valley  of  Virginia,  near  Winchester,  fighting  the  troops  of 
Stonewall  Jackson ;  with  the  same  General  in  various  fights 
along  the  Rapidan  and  Rappahannock  Rivers  in  1862  ;  also 
at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run ;  and  with  General  Gilmour 


28  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 

at  the  siege  of  Charleston  in  1863.  He  was  made  Brevet 
Lieutenant-Colonel  in  the  U.  S.  army  in  1868.  He  was  also 
elected  President  of  the  Association  of  Mexican  Veterans,  at 
Rolla,  Mo.,  in  1877;  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the 
United  States,  and  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic ;  is 
now  President  of  the  Board  of  Examiners  of  Public  Schools 
at  Newport,  Ky. ;  and  esteems  it  by  no  means  the  least  of  his 
posts  of  honorable  usefulness  that  he  is  Superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school  of  St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  in 
the  town  where  he  resides,  of  which  church  he  is  an  active 
member. 

Colonel  Abert  has  been  twice  married :  first,  to  Miss  Jane 
Lenthall  Stone,  daughter  of  Mr.  William  J.  Stone,  of  Wash- 
ington City,  October  21,  1844.  She  died,  August  17,  1849. 
Second,  to  Miss  Lucy  Catherine  Taylor,  daughter  of  Colonel 
James  Taylor,  of  Newport,  Ky.,  on  July  16,  185  t.  She  is 
still  living.  He  has  four  children  :  by  his  first  wife  one  son, 
William  Stone  Abert  (a  Princeton  graduate  of  1865),  and  by 
his  second  wife,  three  unmarried  daughters.  By  his  son  he 
has  two  grandchildren.  Besides  that  of  his  son,  above- 
mentioned,  the  names  of  two  brothers  of  Colonel  Abert 
appear  as  graduates  of  Princeton  College,  viz. :  Charles  Abert 
(1842),  and  Sylvanus  Thayer  Abert  (1848). 

Colonel  Abert  has  been  a  prolific  writer  on  themes  widely 
various.  He  says  :  "  My  army  life  threw  me  into  intimate 
relations  with  the  works  of  nature,  and  I  made  special  studies 
of  animals,  birds,  plants,  insects,  shells,  and  the  ancient  relics 
of  primitive  man."  Among  his  numerous  publications  the 
following  may  be  mentioned  : 

I.  A  Report  of  an  Expedition  on  the  Canadian  and  Arkan- 
sas Rivers.     Published  by  the  United  States  Congress,  July, 

1846. 2.  Report  of  the    Exploration  and  Survey  of  the 

Territory  of  New  Mexico,  1846  and  1847.     Public  Document 

No.  438. 3.  Surveys  and  Maps  of  the   Falls   of  the   Ohio. 

Published  by  Congress.     S.  Doc.  42. 

He  has  also  published  in  the  "  Journal  of  the  Cincinnati 
Natural  History  Society :"  i.  A  List  of  Birds  obtained  be- 
tween Fort  Leavenworth  and  Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 2.  Lecture 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  29 

on  Color. 3.  Lecture  on  Nature  in  Art. 4.  Lecture  on 

Palm  Trees. 5.  Lecture  on  the  Ancient  Aztec  or  Mexican 

Method  of  Computing  Time. 6.  The  Aztec  Calendar  Stone 

7.  The  Village  Indians  of  New   Mexico. 8.  Big  Guns 

(November,  1888). 

He  has  also  written  numerous  papers  for  various  jour- 
nals. 

Colonel  Abert  was  not,  to  the  great  regret  of  all  who  were 
present,  able  to  attend  the  grand  class-meeting  on  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  our  graduation.  But  his  heart  still  beats  very 
warmly  for  his  Alma  Mater  and  his  classmates,  as  is  manifest 
in  every  letter  he  writes  us.  Let  us  hear  a  few  sentences 
from  them.  "  How  distinctly  I  can  now  behold  the  grand  old 
picture  of  Washington  and  Gen.  Hugh  Mercer,  which  hung  on 
the  chapel  wall.  It  has  inspired  many  a  Princetonian  to  go  into 
the  tented  field,  and  there  uphold  the  great  cause  of  mankind. 

*  *  *  The  history  of  the  achievements  of  our  Alvia  Mater 
will  immortalize  her  for  all  time  and  in  every  tongue.  May 
her  future  ever  prove  equal  to  her  present  renown,  and  every 
coming  year  add  new  glories  to  the  crown  which  now  decks 
the  brows  of  the  grand  and  good  old  College  of  New  Jersey. 

*  *  *  With  me  life's  voyage  is  nearly  completed.  What 
trivial  relics  we  leave  behind — often  nothing  but  the  fragment 
of  an  oar,  on  which  should  be  inscribed,  '  Oft  was  I  weary 
when  I  toiled  with  thee.'" 

Nevertheless,  that  many  years  and  many  joys  may  yet  be 
given  him,  is  the  hearty  prayer  of  all  his  remaining  class- 
mates. 

REV.  SAMUEL  DAVIES  ALEXANDER,  A.M.,  D.D. 

Samuel  Davies  Alexander  is  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Archibald 
Alexander,  D  D.,  LL.D. ;  fiomen  clarum  et  venerabile,  the  first 
and  eminent  Professor  of  Didactic  and  Polemic  Theology  in 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  and  of  Mrs.  Janetta  (Wad- 
dell)  Alexander,  a  daughter  of  the  eloquent  "  Blind  Preacher 
of  Virginia,''  made  famous  by  William  Wirt's  description  of 
him  in  Tlie  British  Spy.     Among  the  names  which  adorn  our 


30  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Alumni  Catalogue  are  those  of  four  brothers  of  Dr.  Alexan- 
der, viz.:  James  Waddell  Alexander,  D.D.  (1820);  Hon. 
William  Cowper  Alexander  (1824);  Joseph  Addison  Alex- 
der  (1826)  ;  and  Henry  Martyn  Alexander,  LL.D.  (1849),  as 
well  as  six  nephews,  viz. :  Henry  Carrington  Alexander,  D.D. 
(1854);  James  Waddell  Alexander  (i860);  Charles  Beatty 
Alexander  (1870);  Archibald  Alexander,  Ph.D.  (1875);  Samuel 
Alexander,  M.D.(i879)  J  and  Henry  Addison  Alexander  (1883). 

Samuel  Davies  Alexander  was  born  at  Princeton,  N.  J., 
May  3,  1 8 19,  and  after  attending  for  some  time  the  white 
stone  Academy  in  Princeton,  was  finally  prepared  for  colle;e 
by  his  brother,  the  Rev.  James  W.  Alexander,  D.D.  He 
entered  college  in  the  autumn  of  1834,  was  one  of  the  immor- 
tal twelve  who,  as  the  Freshman  class  during  its  first  session, 
were  the  nucleus  of  the  class  of  1838.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Whig  Society,  was  always  gentle,  amiable,  cheerful  and 
companionable,  a  decided  favorite  among  his  classm.ates ; 
passed  steadily  and  uninterruptedly  through  the  whole  four 
years  of  his  course;  was  never  known  to  break  one  of  the 
college  laws,  and  was  regular  in  the  performance  of  ev^ery 
duty.  After  graduating,  he  spent  two  years  (1838-40)  with 
Professor  Joseph  Henry  as  a  student  and  assistant;  the 
next  three  (1840-43)  as  a  civil  engineer  on  the  New  York 
and  Erie  Railroad;  then  another  (1843-44)  in  studying  law 
in  Princeton.  During  the  last  year  he  made  a  public  profes- 
sion of  his  faith  by  uniting  with  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Princeton. 

In  the  autumn  of  1844  he  entered  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary,  whence  he  was  regularly  graduated  after  a  full 
three  years' course  of  study.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick  at  Freehold 
Village  Church,  April  28,  1847,  and  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled as  pastor  of  the  Richmond  Church,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
by  the  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  November  16,  1847. 
Here  he  labored  industriously  and  successfully  for  two  years, 
when  he  resigned  and  became  Assistant  Secretary  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Education  in  Philadelphia  for  about 
two  years  more.     He  then  accepted  a   call   to  become  pastor 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  31 

of  the  Villacre  Church  of  Freehold,  N.  J.,  and  was  duly  in- 
stalled by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  February  19, 
185  I.  In  this,  his  second  charge,  he  labored  with  great  ac- 
ceptance and  usefulness  for  five  years. 

At  the  end  of  this  time  he  accepted  an  invitation  to  become 
pastor  of  the  Fifteenth  Street  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  and  was  installed  over  it  on  May  12,  1856.  In 
November,  1869,  the  church  removed  to  a  new  edifice,  corner 
Madison  Avenue  and  Seventy-third  Streets,  and  its  name  was 
changed  to  The  Phillips  Church.  Dr.  Alexander  is  still  its 
pastor.  Here  he  has  continued  to  labor  steadily,  unostenta- 
tiously and  zealously  for  thirty-two  years,  beloved  and  revered 
by  the  people  of  his  charge  and  respected  and  honored  by  all 
who  know  him.  Long  may  his  life  and  labors  be  continued  ! 
He  has  never  married. 

In  1862  Dr.  Alexander  received  his  title  of  Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity from  Washington  College,  Pa.  In  1865  he  was  made  a 
Trustee  of  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  and  in  1881  a 
Vice-President  of  The  American  Colonization  Society,  both 
of  which  offices  he  still  holds.  He  is  also  President  of  The 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Rutgers  Female  College  in  New  York 
City  and  of  the  New  York  State  Colonization  Society.  Since 
1869  he  has  been  the  Stated  Clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of  New 
York,  to  the  great  comfort  and  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 

Dr.  Alexander's  published  works  have  been  as  follows  :  i. 
"  Life  Sketches  from  Scottish  History."     i8mo.     Presbyterian 

Board  of  Publication,  Philadelphia. 2.  "  Sermons  by  the 

Tennants   and   their  Contemporaries."     i2mo.     Presbyterian 

Board  of   Publication,    Philadelphia. 3.  "  History    of  the 

Irish  Presbyterian  Church."  Condensed  from  the  standard 
works  of  Reed  and  Killen.  New  York,  i860. 4.  "Prince- 
ton College  During  the  XVIIIth  Century."  New  York,  1872. 
This  is  a  volume  of  rare  interest  for  every  graduate  of  Prince- 
ton College.  No  other  work  ever  written  has  rendered  such 
full  and  ample  justice  to  the  Alumni  of  the  last  century.  And 
the  admirable  Preface  is  more  entertaining  and  creditable  to 
the  authorship  than  any  other  part  of  the  book. 5.  "  Prince- 
ton College."    Illustrated.    Scribner's  Magazine,  Mdivch,  i2>'jy. 


32  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1 838. 

6.  Editions  of  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  Princeton  Review, 


April,  1859. 7.  "  History  of  the  Presbytery  of  New  York," 

1888. 

We  close  this  sketch  of  Dr.  Alexander's  life  with  the  fol- 
lowing tribute  from  his  loving  classmate,  Major  Henry  W.  B. 
VVoodhull,  M.D.,  to  each  sentiment  of  which  every  surviving 
member  of  our  class  will  promptly  say  "  Atneny 

"  The  memories  of  fifty-eight  years  cluster  around  the  name  of  the 
Rev.  Samuel  D.  Alexander,  D.D.  In  183 1  we  were  school-boys  together 
at  the  old  stone  academy  in  Princeton,  preparing  for  college.  Then  he 
was  quiet,  gentle  and  studious ;  now  he  is  the  dignified,  courteous,  re- 
fined and  cultured  pastor  of  one  of  New  York's  prominent  churches,  de- 
voted to  his  work  and  beloved  by  his  people.  We  said  to  him  :  '  We 
want  you  to  come  to  our  semi-centennial  class  gathering,  and  open  it 
with  prayer.'  And  who  of  the  fourteen  present  will  ever  forget  how  we 
all  knelt  with  him  in  thanksgiving  for  the  preservation  of  this  little  rem- 
nant of  our  seventy-five  to  come  together  again  after  the  lapse  of  half  a 
century,  and  in  prayer  for  the  widows  and  children  of  those  who  had 
gone  before  us  ?  We  felt  in  our  hearts  that  the  mantle  of  his  eminent 
and  sainted  father  had  now  been  handed  on  from  his  brothers,  Addison 
and  James,  and  so  had  fallen  upon  him ;  and  that  our  Alexander  wore 
and  graced  it  worthily." 


REV.  JAMES   MADISON   ALLEN,  A.M. 

James  Madison  Allen  was  born  November  13,  18 14,  at 
Amelia  Court-House  in  Virginia,  and  was  a  son  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  Davis  (Pollard)  Allen.  After  receiving  his  earlier 
training  in  the  best  schools  of  his  native  county  he  received 
his  final  preparation  for  college  in  the  Preparatory  Department 
of  Hampden  Sydney  College.  His  deportment  had  always 
been  staid  and  thoughtful,  but  he  first  made  a  public  profession 
of  his  faith  by  uniting  with  the  Tabb  Street  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Petersburg,  Va. 

He  entered  the  Sophomore  class  of  Princeton  College  in 
the  autumn  of  1835,  becoming  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society. 
He  was  grave,  studious  and  gentlemanly,  never  mingling  on 
very  free  and  easy  terms  with  his  fellow-students,  but  pur- 
suing the  quiet  and  even  tenor  of  his  way.  He  was  greatly 
respected  and  also  greatly  liked  by  them,  nevertheless.     He 


PRINCETON  COLI.EGE.  33 

maintained  an  excellent  scholarship,  and  at  the  end  of  his 
course  received  the  ninth  grade  among  the  75  graduates  of 
his  class. 

After  his  graduation  he  immediately  entered  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary,  whence,  at  the  end  of  a  full  course,  he 
was  regularly  graduated  in  1841,  but  spent  there  a  fourth  year 
as  a  resident  licentiate,  leaving  in  1842.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  the  Gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  East  Hanover,  in  Vir- 
ginia, June  5,  1841,  and  was  ordained  by  the  same  Presbytery 
Nov.  20,  1842,  and  installed  as  pastor  over  the  Presbyterian 
Churches  of  Providence  and  Byrd  within  its  bounds.  Here  he 
labored  diligently  and  faithfully  until  he  was  released  in  May 
I,  1846,  from  the  charge  of  Providence  Church,  and  on  the 
15  th  day  of  the  same  month  was  installed  as  pastor  of  Hebron 
Church.  Over  these  two  churches  (Byrd  and  Hebron)  he 
continued  to  have  the  oversight  and  care  until,  owing  to  the 
delicate  condition  of  his  health,  his  pastoral  relation  to  them 
was  dissolved  by  the  Presbytery,  April  16,  1853.  For  one 
year — 1853-4 — he  was  then  engaged  in  the  service  of  The 
American  Bible  Society,  as  its  agent  in  Virginia.  But  his 
health  throughout  this  year  continued  to  be  poor,  and  at  its 
close  he  retired  to  the  house  of  his  brother,  Mr.  E.  H.  Allen, 
in  Amelia  County,  Va.,  where  he  died  on  October  11,  1854. 
He  was  buried  in  Blandford  Cemetery  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  but 
there  is  no  epitaph  above  the  spot  where  his  mortal  remains 
repose. 

Mr.  Allen  was  never  married.  He  was,  so  far  as  is  known, 
the  author  of  only  one  small  pamphlet,  '^  On  Confirmation." 
He  was  a  good  man,  devout,  conscientious,  faithful  to  every 
assumed  obligation  and  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty.  He 
was  a  good  scholar  and  well  read  in  general  literature.  He 
possessed  a  clear  mind,  abilities  above  the  average  and  fair 
oratorical  powers.  Had  good  health  and  prolonged  life  been 
granted  him  he  would  probably  have  become  a  man  of  con- 
siderable eminence  in  his  profession. 
3 


34  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 


WILLIAM  TEMPLE  ALLEN,  ESQ. 

William  Temple  Allen  was  born  at  Clifton,  in  Clarke 
County,  Va.,  September  13,  1817.  His  father  was  David 
Hume  Allen,  who  was  graduated  from  Princeton  College  in 
1802,  married  and  practiced  law  for  a  few  years,  but  retired  to 
cultivate  a  fine  estate  and  build  up  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
homes  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  There  he  died,  in  the  en- 
joyment of  books  and  the  practice  of  that  old-time  hospi- 
tality for  which  Virginia  was  once  famous.  The  mother  of 
our  classmate  was  Sarah  GrifiRn  (Taylor)  Allen,  a  daughter 
of  Col,  Griffin  Taylor,  a  soldier  of  the  revolution. 

Mr.  Allen  was  prepared  for  college  at  the  Academy  at  Ber- 
ryville,  in  his  native  county,  then  taught  by  Hamilton  Wash- 
ington. He  joined  the  Sophomore  Class  in  the  College  of 
New  Jersey,  and  was  received  into  the  Whig  Society  in  the 
fall  of  1835.  During  the  three  years  of  his  stay  in  college 
he  maintained  a  very  respectable  standing  as  a  scholar,  and 
was  much  esteemed  by  his  associates  for  his  orderly  habits, 
his  unassuming  manners  and  his  gentlemanly  demeanor. 

After  being  graduated  Mr.  Allen  spent  a  part  of  the  fol- 
lowing year  in  Alexandria,  Va.,  studying  engineering  and 
geology  with  Benjamin  Hallowell,  a  distinguished  mathema- 
tician and  teacher  of  that  city.  He  then  took  a  cruise  to  the 
Pacific,  on  the  famous  old  frigate  "United  States,"  as  Secre- 
tary to  the  Commodore  commanding  the  squadron,  visiting 
the  Madeira  Islands,  Brazil,  Cape  Horn,  Chili,  Peru,  etc.  He 
spent  a  while  with  our  Minister  at  Santiago  as  a  sort  of  Sec- 
retary of  Legation,  He  then  returned  to  his  home  again, 
narrowly  escaping  shipwreck  off  Cape  Horn. 

We  will  now  let  him  speak  for  himself,  quoting  from  sev- 
eral interesting  letters  received  from  him, 

"  After  two  or  three  years  of  idleness,  much  given  to  field  sports,  I 
built  a  house  on  a  portion  of  the  paternal  acres,  and  kept  bachelor's 
hall  for  three  years.  On  June  6,  1849,  I  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Bayly, 
daughter  of  Major  Samuel  Bayly,  of  Grafton,  Fauquier  County,  Va. 
Finding  that  life  on  a  farm  left  me  a  good  many  unoccupied  hours,  I 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  35 

took  to  the  study  of  ornithology,  and  having  some  natural  talent  for 
drawing,  undertook  to  produce  a  series  of  portraits  of  Virginia  birds. 
The  result  was  150  plates,  each  of  one  species,  mostly  in  groups  and 
with  characteristic  scenery,  of  life  size,  faithfully  drawn,  and  colored 
from  specimens  obtained  by  the  use  of  my  own  gun.  Meanwhile,  I 
had  kept  up  my  knowledge  of  Latin  and  Greek,  and  added  to  them 
French,  Spanish  and  Italian. 

"In  1880,  finding  myself  growing  rusty  from  lack  of  work,  I  under- 
took an  '  Illustrated  Flora  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley.'  I  have  now 
collected,  classified  and  drawn,  colored  from  life,  about  800  species 
of  wild  flowers  and  flowering  shrubs,  with  no  assistance  save  correspon- 
dence with  prominent  professors  of  the  sciences.  From  want  of  means 
I  have  not  published  either  of  these  works." 

About  the  civil  war  of  1861-65,  ^"^  the  part  he  took  in 
it,  Mr.  Allen  writes  : 

"  As  regards  my  part  in  the  unfortunate  struggle  for  '  States  rights,'  it 
did  not  amount  to  much.  Although  not  an  ardent  secessionist,  when 
our  State  was  invaded,  I  did  not  hesitate,  but  entered  the  service  in  a 
cavalry  company  as  a  '  high  private,'  and  with  very  little  ambition  for  ai 
higher  rank.  After  a  year's  service,  finding  that  my  wife  and  three  lit- 
tle children  were  in  a  very  helpless  and  unprotected  way,  on  a  lonely 
farm,  just  in  the  track  of  every  army  that  traversed  the  Valley,  and  the 
time  for  which  my  company  had  enlisted  having  expired,  I  returned 
home  and  was  promptly  captured.  Gen.  Sedgwick  accepted  my  parole 
to  stay  quietly  at  home,  which  I  did  to  the  end  of  the  war.  I  did  not, 
however,  escape  its  ravages.  Army  after  army  encamped  upon  me, 
Gen.  Sheridan,  with  45,000  or  50,000  troops,  having  at  one  time  his 
quarters  in  my  house.  Everything  on  the  place  was  burnt  or  otherwise 
destroyed,  and  at  the  end  of  the  four  years  of  war  I  had  nothing  left 
on  the  place  but  my  house.  Such  was  the  fate  of  many  places  in  this 
Valley,  but  in  a  few  years  they  rose  Phoenix-like  from  their  ashes,  and 
now  you  would  never  suspect  that  war  had  been  within  a  100  miles  of 
us." 

For  many  years  before  Mr.  Allen  was  re-discovered  and 
this  correspondence  opened,  he  had  been  thoroughly  lost  to 
all  his  classmates.  At  the  meeting  of  our  class  on  June  20, 
1888,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  our  graduation,  he  was  fully 
believed  by  each  person  present  to  have  died  many  years  be- 
fore that  time.  In  reference  to  this  he  writes :  "  I  am  not 
surprised  at  the  report  of  my  death,  as  I  have  been  buried 
alive  for  years,  so  far  as  mingling  with  the  great  world  goes. 


36  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   CLASS  OF    1838. 

Yet,  in  fact,  I  have  enjoyed  uninterrupted  health  for  more 
than  forty  years.  My  home  has  always  been  on  this  one  spot 
in  Clarke  County,  Va.  I  am  sorry  I  have  never  done  any- 
thing to  reflect  honor  on  our  old  '  Alma  Mater.'  " 

Mr.  Allen  looks  forward  with  lively  interest  to  the  appear- 
ance of  this  "  Class  Book,"  and  writes  :  "I  am  glad  to  hear 
that  the  '  Class  Book '  is  getting  on  so  well.  I  feel  a  deep 
interest  in  it.  I  know  of  no  book  whatever  I  would  rather 
see.  I  have  spent  many  an  hour  in  musing  over  the  probable 
fates  and  fortunes  of  my  classmates  at  Princeton.  When  you 
see  Sam  Alexander,  now  Reverend,  and  doubtless  gray, 
greet  him  kindly  for  me,  and  ask  him  if  he  remembers  the 
many  games  of  chess  we  had  while  waiting  for  the  bell  to 
ring  for  recitations.  I  retain  most  agreeable  recollections  of 
my  college  life,  and  although  parted  from  my  classmates 
fifty  years,  have  not  forgotten  one  of  them." 

Mr.  Allen  has  three  children,  viz.,  i.  William  Temple  Al- 
len, Jr.,  a  Protestant  Episcopal  minister,  in  charge  of  three 
parishes,  viz. :  Jacksonville,  Gadsden  and  another  in  Ala- 
bama.  2.  Mary  Bayly,  married  to  Mr.  J.  E.  Bryarly,  of 

Clarke  County,  Va. 3.   Emma,  married  to  Bushrod  Cor- 

bin  Washington,  of  Jefferson  County,  West  Va.,  now  living  in 
Washington  City. 

He  also  has  three  grandchildren.  His  family  are  all  Epis- 
copalians, but  he  is  not  himself  a  member  of  any  church. 

One  of  the  most  agreeable  incidents  connected  with  the 
preparation  of  this  work  is  its  leading  to  a  renewal  of  ac- 
iquaintance  and  friendship  with  our  long  "  buried  "  classmate, 
William  Temple  Allen. 


BLOOMFIELD  JERVIS  BEACH,  A.M.,  ESQ. 

Bloomfield  Jervis  Beach  was  born  at  Annsville,  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y  ,  June  27,  1820.  His  father  was  Samuel  Beach, 
and  his  mother  Susan  Maria  (Jervis)  Beach.  He  was  pre- 
pared for  college  at  Rome,  N.  Y.,  under  Oliver  C.  Grosvenor 
and  entered  the  senior  class  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  in 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  37 

the  fall  of  1837.     He  was  a  member  of  the  Cliosophic  So- 
ciety. 

Mr.  Beach  was  diligent  and  faithful  in  study,  and  at  his 
graduation  stood  among  the  first  fifteen  of  his  class  in  scholar- 
ship. His  behavior  was  always  orderly,  and  his  demeanor 
gentlemanly  and  agreeable,  and  he  left  a  most  favorable  im- 
pression upon  his  classmates,  and  we  doubt  not  upon  the 
Faculty  of  the  college  also. 

After  graduating  he  spent  one  and  a  half  years  as  a  civil 
engineer  in  the  service  of  the  State  of  New  York,  after  which 
he  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Calvin  B.  Gay,  Esq., 
at  Rome,  N.  Y.  After  studying  three  years  he  was  licensed 
to  practice  in  1843  and  from  that  time  until  now  has  contin- 
ued to  practice  in  Rome. 

Mr.  Beach  married,  at  Nashua,  N.  H.,  February  22,  1864, 
Miss  Ann  Frances  Whittemore,  of  that  town.  She  died  in 
October,  1867.  He  married  again,  October  8,  1874,  Miss 
Caroline  Elizabeth  Baker,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  P.  Baker,  of 
Sing  Sing,  N.  Y.  She  still  lives.  He  has  but  one  child,  a 
son,  by  his  first  wife,  John  Bloomfield  Beach,  born  May  5, 
1865,  and  now  living  in  Florida. 

Mr.  Beach  holds  the  highest  possible  standing  in  the  com- 
munity (at  Rome)  in  which  he  dwells.  As  a  lawyer  he  is 
regarded  as  having  no  superior  in  the  Mohawk  Valley.  He 
possesses  wealth,  which  a  warm  heart  prompts  him  to  use 
with  a  generous  hand.  His  fellow-citizens  have  confided  to 
him  many  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility,  showing  their 
estimate  of  his  moral  worth  and  his  business  abilities.  He 
has  been  a  Director  in  the  Fort  Stanwix  Bank  from  its  organ- 
ization, in  1847;  a  Director  in  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Rome  since  1854;  Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  Rome  Sav- 
ings Bank  from  its  organization,  in  185  i  ;  one  of  the  Rome 
Water  Commissioners  from  their  organization,  in  1871.  And 
probably  the  most  important  of  all,  he  has  been,  since  1875, 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Central  New  York 
Institute  for  Deaf  Mutes,  an  institution  containing  during  the 
year  ending  September  30,  1887,  165  pupils  in  attendance. 

"Although  not  a  church  member,  Mr.  Beach  regards  him- 


38  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   CLASS  OF    1 838. 

self  as  a  Presbyterian  and  is  a  reverent  believer.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican ;  yet  not  active  in  politics,  nor  ever  an  office-seeker. 
He  has  an  excellent  library  of  general  literature,  and  is  a 
large  reader  of  the  best  books.  He  is  a  thoughtful,  polite 
and  most  agreeable  gentleman."  Such  is  the  testimony  of 
one  of  his  most  intelligent  neighbors. 

Mr.  Beach  was  present  at  our  grand  class-meeting  at 
Princeton  on  June  20,  1888,  and  by  his  presence  and  the  part 
he  took  in  its  proceedings  added  greatly  to  the  pleasure  of 
the  gathering.  He  was  unanimously  elected  Vice-President 
of  the  class.  And  it  may  properly  be  said  that  by  his  wise 
and  liberal  suggestions  he  secured  the  preparation  and  publi- 
cation of  this  Class  Book. 


ZEN  AS  IvINDSIvEY  BEACH,  A.M.,  ESQ. 

Zenas  Lindsley  Beach,  son  of  Ephraim  Beach,  was  born  at 
East  Springfield,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  March  12,  18 19. 
After  his  birth  his  father  removed  to  Newark,  N.  J.,  and 
finally  to  Catskill,  N.  Y.,  so  that  the  son  was  also,  for  awhile, 
a  resident  in  those  places.  He  was  prepared  for  college  in 
Newark,  N.  J.,  under  the  tution  of  Nathan  Hedges.  He 
entered  the  Freshman  Class  in  the  College  of  New  Jersey  in 
the  autumn  of  1834,  and  was  soon  after  received  into  the 
Cliosophic  Society. 

Mr.  Beach  was  a  man  of  stout  and  strongly-built  frame,  of 
dark  complexion,  of  pleasant  and  cheerful  manners,  of  kind 
and  friendly  disposition,  and  very  popular  among  his  fellow- 
students.  He  stood  fairly  in  his  class  as  a  scholar.  All  who 
knew  him  will  hold  him  in  affectionate  and  respectful  remem- 
brance. 

After  his  graduation  he  studied  law  with  Mitchel  Sanford, 
Esq.,  in  Catskill,  N.  Y.,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1840,  and 
practiced  law  in  Catskill  until  1847.  He  united  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Catskill  January  3,  1841.  He  married 
Miss  Sarah  Brace,  daughter  of  Abel  Brace,  M.D.,  a  leading 
physician  of  that  place,  September  24,  1845.  Mrs.  Beach 
survived  him,  and  still  resides  in  Catskill. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  39 

For  reasons  largely  connected  with  his  health,  about  1847 
he  became  the  head  of  a  tanning  establishment  in  Delaware 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  until  1857,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Catskill.  He  died  suddenly  in  New  York  City  on 
February  13,  1868,  of  heart  disease.  He  had  been  disabled 
from  active  duties  by  this  disease  for  several  years,  but  un- 
advisedly ran  to  overtake  a  Fourth  Avenue  car,  and  died  in 
the  car. 

Mr.  Beach  was  a  colonel  in  the  Volunteer  Militia,  also  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  While  studying  law  he  was  editor  of  a 
newspaper,  entitled  The  Catskill  Village  Whig. 

Four  children  survived  him,  viz. :   i.  Edward  Cunningham 

Beach,  now  resident  in  Gloucester  City,  N.  J. 2.  Edward 

James  Beach,  now  residing  in  New  York  City. 3.  Anna 

Stirling  Beach,  Catskill,  N.  Y. \.  Frank  Henry,  an  officer 

in  the  United  States  Army,  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas. 

We  quote  a  few  sentences  from  a  letter  of  the  Rev.  George 
A.  Howard,  D.D,,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Cats- 
kill.  He  says :  "  Mr.  Beach  was  a  consistent  and  influential 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  was  universally 
esteemed  in  this  community  for  his  intelligence,  uprightness, 
decision  of  character  and  kindly  courtesy.  He  made  many 
and  strong  friends,  although  he  always  showed  that  he  had 
the  courage  of  his  convictions,  and  he  was  intensely  loved  by 
those  who  were  nearest  him." 

CHARLES  SHEPARD  BEARDSLEY,  ESQ. 

Charles  Shepard  Beardsley  was  born  in  Scipio  Town- 
ship, Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  April  15,  1815.  His  parents 
were  Charles  Sherman  Beardsley  and  Mrs.  Hannah  (Durkee) 
Beardsley.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at  Homer,  N.  Y., 
under  the  tuition  of  Mr.  Samuel  Woolworth,  and  entered 
the  Junior  Class  at  Princeton  College  in  1836.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society. 

As  we  recollect  Beardsley  in  his  college  days,  he  was  above 
the  average  height ;  rather  slender  than  otherwise ;  wore  a 
bright  and  cheerful  countenance ;  was  sociable  and  amiable  in 


40  BIOGRAPHY  OF   THE   CLASS  OF    1 838. 

disposition ;  orderly  and  strictly  moral ;  yet  fond  of  a  good 
joke  and  not  averse  from  fun ;  well  liked  by  all  his  fellow 
students,  fairly  industrious  as  a  student,  and  an  excellent 
speaker. 

After  his  graduation,  Mr.  Beardsley  studied  law  one  year 
under  the  illustrious  William  H.  Seward,  at  one  time  Governor 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  afterwards  Secretary  of  State  in 
the  Cabinet  of  President  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  then  aban- 
doned the  law,  for  what  reason  is  not  known  to  us,  and  became 
a  farmer.    And  a  farmer  he  has  continued  to  be  unto  this  time. 

Mr.  Beardsley  was  married  April  9,  1843,  in  Auburn,  N.  Y., 
to  Miss  Alida  R.  Ten  Eyck,  daughter  of  Conrad  R.  Ten  Eyck, 
Esq.,  of  that  city.  He  reports  that  he  has  five  sons  and  one 
daughter,  viz.:    i.  Charles  S.,  a    lawyer,  who  married    Miss 

Ellen  Hulbart,  and  practices  law  in  New  York   City. 2. 

George  T.,  who  is  married,  and  lives  in  Lafayette,  Ind. 3. 

Henry  W.,  who  married  Miss  Fanny  Cox,  and  lives  in  New 

York  City. 4.  Frank  C. ,  who  married  a  Miss  McNeill,  and 

lives  in  Portland,  Me. 5.  Edmund,  who  is  single,  and  lives 

in  New  York  City. 6.  Alida  R.,  married  to  Mr.  John  Sit- 

tington  and  living  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.  He  also  tells  us  that 
he  is  the  happy  progenitor  of  fifteen  grand-children. 

Mr.  Beardsley  informs  us  that  he  is  a  decided  Presbyterian ; 
that  he  has  received  no  offices  of  any  kind ;  that  he  wears  no 
title,  and  that  he  has  published  nothing  whatever.  He  is  just 
plain  Charles  S.  Beardsley.  He  was  present  at  our  grand 
Class- meeting  on  June  20,  1888,  full  of  life  and  good  spirits. 
Since  then,  after  his  return  from  a  western  trip,  he  badly  hurt 
his  hand  and  could  not  write  for  some  time.  But  his  general 
health  is  excellent.  His  address  is  Auburn,  N.  Y.  And  his 
letters  show  that  he  is  as  full  of  affection  for  his  Alma  Mater 
and  his  class-mates  as  he  was  when  a  student  in  the  college. 
Perhaps  even  fuller. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  41 

CHARLES  THEODORE  BELLOWS,  A.M. 

Charles  Theodore  Bellows  was  a  son  of  Mr.  Charles  H. 
Bellows  and  Mrs,  Lucinda  Bellows,  of  Newburgh,  N.  Y.  He 
was  born  in  New  York  City,  July  15,  181 8,  and  was  finally 
prepared  for  college  under  the  instructions  of  the  Rev.  Samuel 
H.  Phinney  of  Newburgh.  He  entered  college  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Sophomore  year  in  the  fall  of  1835,  and  became  a 
member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  a  quiet  and  gentle- 
manly youth,  slender  in  person,  of  a  pale  countenance,  and 
evidently  delicate  in  health.  He  mingled  little  in  the  sports 
and  enjoyments  of  his  associates,  and  was  fairly  studious  and 
attentive  to  all  his  college  duties. 

After  his  graduation,  he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  John  A. 
Millard,  Esq.,  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and  afterwards  with  the  same 
gentleman  in  New  York  City.  But  we  cannot  learn  that  he 
ever  attempted  to  practice.  Most  probably  his  health  was 
not  adequate  to  the  effort.     He  was  never  married. 

Mr.  Bellows  died  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  December  15,  1856, 
of  consumption,  and  was  buried  in  Greenwood  Cemetery,  near 
that  city. 

JAMES  LEWORTHY  BERRIEN. 

James  Leworthy  Berrien  was  born  in  New  York  City, 
December  15,  18 19.  His  parents  were  Daniel  Berrien,  a 
manufacturer  of  and  dealer  in  brushes,  in  Pearl  Street,  New 
York,  and  Sarah  (Pettingill)  Berrien,  who  was  born  in  New- 
burgh, N.  Y. 

Mr.  Berrien  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  at  College  in 
1835,  and  joined  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  not  at  all 
addicted  to  hard  study,  but  on  the  contrary  was  indolent  in 
his  habits,  and  irregular  in  his  attendance,  and  when  he  was 
graduated  came  out  as  one  of  the  lowest  dozen  in  scholarship. 
If  any  spree  or  disturbance  occurred,  Berrien  was  tolerably 
certain  to  have  a  hand  in  it.  Yet  he  possessed  fair  natural 
abilities,  was  jovial,  frank  in  his  manner,  and  rather  popular 
with  a  certain  set. 


42  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS  OF    1 838. 

After  his  graduation  he  studied  law  with  Horace  Holden, 
Esq.,  then  an  eminent  lawyer  of  New  York  City.  Here  his 
college  habits  seem  to  have  followed  him.  One  who  is  now 
a  prominent  lawyer  in  New  York,  and  who  was  his  fellow- 
student  in  Mr.  Holden's  law-office,  writes  of  him :  "  I  know 
nothing  good  of  him.  He  had  no  church  associations,  but 
the  very  opposite.  His  associations  were  bad.  He  learned 
enough  law  to  pass  his  examinations  and  be  admitted  to  the 
Bar,  but  he  had  no  success  in  the  profession  and  soon  dropped 
out  of  sight."  For  some  time  he  had  an  office  in  Peck  Slip. 
About  1846  he  is  said  to  have  gone  to  California,  and  to  have 
spent  there  six  or  seven  years,  but  in  1853  he  was  again  in 
New  York  City,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death. 
From  1870  until  1875  he  held  the  position  of  Notary  in  con- 
nection with  the  Mechanics'  and  Traders'  Bank.  He  died  of 
brain  disease  on  June  16,  1875,  having  been  blind  for  several 
years  before  his  death,  which  is  said  to  have  occurred  in  an 
asylum. 

We  h^ve  heard  a  report  that  Mr.  Berrien  was  married  and 
had  children  not  long  after  he  began  to  practice  law,  but 
obtained  no  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  truthfulness  of  the 
report.  On  June  16,  1864,  he  married  Jean  M.  Stilwell, 
daughter  of  Gaskill  Stilwell,  of  New  Jersey.  They  had  one 
child,  Ellen  Nicholson  Berrien.  His  widow,  some  years  ago, 
married  a  Mr.  Smith,  and  resides  on  Long  Island. 

Mr.  Berrien  was  a  man  of  good  presence,  courteous  and 
winning  manners,  and  was  always  a  great  favorite  among  the 
ladies.  His  near  relatives,  parents,  brothers  and  others,  a 
large  family  fifty  years  ago,  have  all  passed  away.  His  life- 
history,  although  nearly  all  his  life  was  passed  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  has  been  by  far  a  more  difficult  one  to  trace  than 
has  been  that  of  any  other  member  of  the  Class  of  1838. 

JAMES  VAN  ZANDT  BLANEY,  A.M.,  M.D. 

James  Van  Zandt  Blaney  was  born  May  i,  1820,  at  New 
Castle,  Del.  He  was  a  son  of  Cornelius  Dushane  Blaney  and 
Mrs.  Susan  (Cannon)  Blaney  of  that  city,  and  was  prepared 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  43 

for  college  by  Professor  Agnew,  of  Newark,  Del.,  and  entered 
the  Class  of  1838  at  the  beginning  of  its  Senior  year,  when 
he  also  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was 
bright,  vivacious,  versatile,  a  charming  talker  and  an  attractive 
companion.  He  studied  diligently  and  zealously,  but  his 
efforts  were  mainly  directed  to  Natural  Philosophy  and  Chem- 
istry ;  while  for  the  Languages  and  Mathematics  he  cared 
comparatively  little.  He  was  a  great  favorite  of  Professor 
Joseph  Henry  and  of  Professor  John  Torrey,  whom  he 
assisted,  out  of  study  hours,  in  their  laboratories.  He  re- 
mained a  year  after  his  graduation  in  order  further  to  acquaint 
himself,  under  the  direction  of  those  Professors,  with  his 
favorite  branches  of  knowledge.  He  then  took  up  the  study 
of  medicine  and  received  his  degree  of  M.D.  from  the  Medical 
Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1842. 

Almost  immediately  afterwards  he  went  to  Chicago  and 
established  himself  as  a  practitioner  of  medicine.  His  pro- 
fessional career  was  eminently  successful,  and  his  large  and 
lucrative  practice  as  a  physician  was  continued  until  1861. 
Indeed  there  were  many  families  who  felt  unwilling  to  relin- 
quish his  attendance  upon  them,  even  up  to  the  time  of  his 
last  illness. 

Dr.  Blaney's  highest  triumphs  and  his  widest  fame  were 
achieved  outside  of  his  medical  practice.  When  he  went  to 
Chicago  in  1842  he  organized,  in  connection  with  Dr.  Brain- 
ard,  the  Rush  Medical  College  in  that  city,  gave  the  first 
course  of  lectures  ever  delivered  therein,  and  held  until  1866 
the  Professorship  of  Chemistry.  One  who  was  familiar  with 
him  in  those  days  writes:  "His  lectures  were  marked  with 
unusual  brilliancy.  He  possessed  great  power  in  instructing 
students,  and  an  especial  faculty  for  exciting  enthusiasm  in 
scientific  subjects.  As  a  lecturer  he  was  ready  and  accurate, 
and  by  his  methods  and  manners  impressed  his  ideas  forcibly 
upon  his  hearers.  He  was  a  man  of  quick  perceptions,  un- 
usual natural  ability  and  culture,  and  of  vast  acquirements  in 
his  chosen  fields  of  chemistry,  geology,  metallurgy  and  kin- 
dred subjects." 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the   civil  war,  in  1861,  Dr.  Blaney 


44  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

entered  the  army  as  a  surgeon  of  volunteers,  and  during  its 
continuance  filled  many  positions  of  responsibility,  and  ac- 
quired a  wide  reputation  by  his  signal  ability.  He  was  sta- 
tioned for  some  time  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  holding  the  responsible 
post  of  Medical  Director ;  was  for  a  time  on  the  staff  of  Gen. 
David  Hunter,  and  towards  the  close  of  the  war  was  appointed 
Medical  Purveyor  and  stationed  at  Chicago,  where  he  had 
charge  of  vast  quantities  of  medical  stores. 

For  several  years  before  the  war  Dr.  Blaney  resided  at 
Evanston,  111.,  a  few  miles  from  Chicago,  and  was  also  con- 
nected with  the  North  Western  University  as  Professor  of 
Chemistry. 

Dr.  Blaney  returned  from  the  war  broken  down  in  health, 
but  still  continued  his  lectures  at  the  Rush  Medical  College. 
Upon  the  death  of  President  Brainard  in  1866,  Dr.  Blaney 
succeeded  him  as  president,  and  filled  that  position  about 
eight  years  until  just  before  his  death,  when,  owing  to  the 
state  of  his  health,  he  resigned.  He  was  a  Free  Mason,  and 
attained  a  very  high  position  in  the  Masonic  Order.  He  also 
founded  and  edited  for  many  years  The  Chicago  Medical 
Journal. 

Dr.  Blaney  was  a  man  of  strict  integrity.  He  at  one  time 
possessed  ^75,000  in  ready  money,  but  the  casualties  of  busi- 
ness plunged  him  in  debt,  and  he  honorably  gave  up  his  last 
dollar  to  meet  his  obligations.  He  was  also  one  of  the  most 
genial  of  men,  possessing  wonderful  conversational  powers, 
and  was  the  idol  of  every  circle  in  which  he  moved. 

His  death  ensued  from  dropsy,  resulting  from  organic  dis- 
ease of  the  heart,  after  a  long  and  tedious  illness.  He  never 
became  a  member  of  any  church,  although  he  was  a  regular 
attendant  at  one  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches  in  Chicago, 
whose  pastor  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  his  bedside.  This 
clergyman  says  of  our  classmate  :  "  There  were  deep  religious 
thoughts  in  his  heart.  A  year  ago  I  found  in  him  a  firm  be- 
lief in  God.  During  his  fatal  illness  his  soul  looked  upward 
to  its  God.  Especially  was  this  so  during  the  last  day  of  his 
illness.  He  joined  with  me  in  prayer  and  gave  his  thoughts 
entirely  to  religious  subjects.  It  was  easy  for  him  to  draw 
near  to  God."     He  died  in  Chicago  December  11,  1874. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  45 

Dr.  Blaney  married,  July  8,  1847,  Miss  Clarissa  Butler, 
daughter  of  Walter  Butler,  Esq.,  of  Chicago.  He  left  a  widow 
and  four  children.  Some  years  after  Dr.  Blaney's  death  Mrs. 
Blaney  married  Edward  Howe,  Esq.,  of  Princeton,  N.  J., 
where  she  still  lives.  His  four  children  were  :  i.  James  Rid- 
dle Blaney,  who  studied  medicine  at  the  Rush  Medical  College, 
in  Chicago;  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  chemistry; 
materially  assisted  his  father  in  his  researches ;  married  Miss 
Anne  Reed  Williams,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  L.  Williams,  of 
Evanston,  111.,  and  died  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  on  September  29, 

1878. 2.  Charles  Dushane  Blaney,  who  entered  Princeton 

College  in  1871,  remained  two  years  but  did  not  graduate,  and 
is  now  engaged  in  business  in  San  Diego,  Cal.  He  married 
Miss  Isabella  Williams,  daughter  of  John  Marshall  Williams, 

of  Evanston,  111. 3.   Mrs.  Elizabeth  Blaney  Lynde  married 

Mr.  Rollin  Harper  Lynde  and  resides  in  New  York  City. 

4.  Mrs.  Clarissa  Blaney  Rust  married  Mr.  Frank  Nelson  Rust, 
and  lives  at  Pasadena,  Cal. 


CLAYTON  BLACKWELL,  A.M.,  M.D. 

Clayton  Blackwell  was  born  near  Princeton,  N.  J.,  May  20, 
1820,  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Leavitt  Howe,  Esq.  His 
parents  were  Elijah  and  Mrs.  Eliza  Blackwell.  His  older 
brother,  John  Harrison  Blackwell,  M.D.,  was  graduated  in 
1825;  received  his  medical  degree  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  at  Philadelphia  in  1829;  practiced  law  in  Can- 
ada and  died  there  in  1871. 

Clayton  Blackwell  attended  for  some  years  the  white 
stone  Academy  on  Washington  St.,  in  Princeton  (which  has 
now  entirely  disappeared),  and  was  finally  prepared  for  col- 
lege by  the  Rev.  Charles  C.  Sears.  He  entered  college  in 
1834  at  the  beginning  of  the  Freshman  year.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  regular  and  faith- 
ful in  his  performance  of  all  the  prescribed  duties  of  the  insti- 
tution ;  was  friendly,  sociable  and  agreeable  in  his  manners ; 
and  formed  many  strong  and  life-long  attachments  among  his 


46  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

companions.     At  his  graduation  he  came  out  i6th  in  scholar- 
ship among  his  75  classmates. 

After  graduating  in  1838,  he  went  to  Mississippi  and  taught 
for  some  years  in  a  private  family  in  the  vicinity  of  Natchez, 
after  which  he  entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine  and  re- 
ceived his  degree  of  M.D.  in  1845  from  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in  Philadelphia.  In 
the  same  year  (1845)  he  went  to  Texas  and  established  him- 
self near  Clinton,  De  Witt  Co.,  in  that  State,  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  which  soon  became  extensive  and  lucrative, 
so  that  he  acquired  a  very  snug  property.  In  1849  his 
younger  brother,  Mr.  Montgomery  Blackwell,  went  from 
Princeton,  N.  J.,  and  joined  Dr.  Blackwell,  which  led  the  lat- 
ter to  engage  in  the  business  of  raising  and  selling  live  stock, 
to  which  the  younger  brother  devoted  his  time  and  attention, 
while  the  Doctor  continued  to  practice  medicine.  On  March 
4,  1852,  he  married  Mrs.  Miriam  G.  Bell,  a  widow  lady  with 
four  children,  who  resided  near  Clinton,  where  she  owned  a 
plantation  and  was  a  person  of  considerable  pecuniary  ability. 
Doctor  Blackwell  died  January  18,  1854,  after  suffering  for 
three  and  a  half  years  from  the  prolonged  and  painful  inroads 
of  consumption.  In  Texas,  as  before  in  Princeton,  he  was 
greatly  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was,  in  his  pref- 
erence and  attendance,  a  Presbyterian,  but  we  have  not  learned 
that  he  ever  became  a  member  of  any  church. 

He  left  one  son,  William  A.  Blackwell,  who  married,  has 
two  sons,  and  lives  in  Cuero,  De  Witt  Co.,  Texas. 

We  add  a  few  lines  written  by  one  who  knew  him  inti- 
mately from  his  earliest  years,  viz. :  Alexander  M.  Scudder, 
Esq.  (class  of  1839),  of  Athens,  Ga.  He  says:  "Clayton 
Blackwell  was  my  nearest  neighbor,  always  accessible,  genial 
and  amiable.  In  our  numerous  walks  and  conversations  and 
plays,  he  was  ever  the  same  gentle  and  loving  companion." 
The  writer  of  these  sketches,  who  was  also  from  early  child- 
hood on  terms  of  affectionate  intimacy  with  Clayton  Black- 
well,  can  bear  unhesitating  testimony  to  the  truthfulness  of 
Mr.  Scudder's  picture  of  his  friend. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  47 


GEN.  LAWRENCE  O' BRIAN*  BRANCH. 

Lawrence  O'Brian  Branch  was  born  at  Enfield,  Halifax 
County,  N.  C,  on  the  28th  day  of  November,  1820.  His 
father  was  Joseph  Branch,  Esq. ;  his  mother  Susan  Simpson 
(O'Brian)  Branch.  His  ancestors  were  for  many  years  promi- 
nent in  the  affairs  of  North  Carolina,  both  as  a  colony  and  as 
a  State.  His  mother  died  on  Christmas  Day,  1825,  and  in 
1826  his  father  removed  to  Tennessee  with  his  family,  and 
himself  died  in  1827.  Thus  left  an  orphan,  Lawrence  passed 
under  the  guardian  care  of  his  uncle,  Gov.  John  Branch,  who 
brought  him  back  to  North  Carolina,  where  he  resided  until 
the  spring  of  1829  with  his  guardian's  family.  In  May, 
1829,  Gov.  Branch  having  been  appointed  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  by  President  Andrew  Jackson,  Lawrence  accompanied 
him  to  Washington  City,  and  resided  with  him  there  until 
the  dissolution  of  the  Cabinet,  in  1831,  when  he  returned 
with  him  to  North  Carolina.  While  in  Washington  he  stud- 
ied for  a  time  under  Salmon  P.  Chase,  afterwards  Governor 
of  Ohio,  then  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  finally  Chief 
Justice  of  the  United  States.  He  afterwards  had  for  his  pre- 
ceptor William  J  Bingham,  a  very  distinguished  educator  of 
North  Carolina,  in  Orange  County  of  that  State.  In  1835  he 
was  sent  to  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  at  Chapel  Hill, 
but  did  not  remain  through  his  Freshman  year. 

In  the  autumn  of  1835  he  entered  Princeton  College,  join- 
ing the  Sophomore  Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  In 
company  with  him  came  his  two  older  brothers,  Joseph  and 
Lewis  Henry  Branch,t  and  his  cousin,  John  R.  Branch. 

•This  middle  name  is  misspelled  ''  O'Brien  "  in  all  the  ''  College  Catalogues." 
t  Joseph    Branch  was  graduated  in  1837.     He  had  a  large  and  fine  looking  phy- 
sique, and  was  one  of  the  finest  speakers  of  his  class.     After  becoming  a  lawyer,  he 
was   Attorney-General  of    Florida,    residing   at    Tallahassee.     He    afterwards    re- 
moved to  Arkansas,  where  he  was  cruelly  murdered  by  renegades  in  1866. 

Lewis  Henry  Branch  did  not  graduate.  He  was  born  in  Halifax  County,  N.  C, 
December  4,  1815.  After  leaving  college  he  became  a  planter  in  Leon  County, 
Florida,  and  continued  such  until  his  death  there,  July  25,  1849.  He  was  a  good 
man,  respected  and  beloved  by  all.  He  left  a  widow  and  a  son,  both  of  whom  are 
now  dead. 

For  a  sketch  of  John  R.  Branch,  see  a  page  further  on. 


48  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   CLASS  OF    1 838. 

"  Larry  "  Branch,  as  he  was  famiHarly  called  by  his  college 
associates,  was  cheerful,  yet  thoughful ;  was  much  loved,  yet 
always  highly  respected.  He  was  an  intense  man,  of  quick 
perception,  of  clear  understanding,  of  solid  convictions  and 
of  firm  purpose ;  a  man  of  whom  much  might  safely  be  ex- 
pected in  any  profession  or  walk  in  life  to  which  he  might 
devote  himself  He  was  faithfully  studious,  and  came  out 
with  the  seventh  grade  in  a  class  of  seventy-five.  He  also 
delivered  the  English  Salutatory  on  Commencement,  the  day 
of  his  class'  graduation. 

In  1839  Mr.  Branch  went  to  Tennessee,  and  studied  law 
with  Judge  John  Marshall.  While  there  he  also  very  ably 
edited  (incognito)  a  political  paper  called  Tlie  Reserve  Corps. 
In  November,  1840,  he  went  to  Florida,  to  engage  in  the 
practice  of  law,  but  being  not  yet  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
could  not  get  a  license.  Such,  however,  were  his  precocity 
and  prominence  that  the  Legislature  of  that  State  passed  a 
special  act,  authorizing  him  to  be  licensed,  notwithstanding 
his  non-age,  provided  he  could  pass  the  necessary  examina- 
tion. This  he  did  without  difficulty,  and  became  a  very 
brilliant  and  successful  lawyer.  In  the  early  part  of  1841  he 
served  as  aide-de-camp  to  Brigadier-General  Reid  in  the 
Seminole  War,  for  which  service  he  subsequently  received 
two  land  warrants  from  the  Government.  He  resided  in 
Florida  until  1848,  actively  and  successfully  prosecuting  his 
profession. 

In  September  of  1848  he  removed  to  Raleigh,  N.  C,  where 
he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  and  to  practice  his 
profession  until  1855.  In  1850  he  was  appointed  by  Gover- 
nor Manley  a  member  of  the  Literary  Board  of  North  Caro- 
lina. In  1852  he  was  elected  an  Elector  on  the  Pierce  and 
King  Presidential  ticket.  In  October,  1852,  he  was  elected 
President  of  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  Railroad  Company,  a 
position  he  held  until  May,  1855,  when  he  was  elected  by  the 
Democratic  party  a  member  of  the  United  States  House  of 
Representatives.  In  1857  he  was  elected  for  a  second  term 
without  opposition,  and  in  1859  for  a  third  term  by  an 
almost  unanimous  vote.     In  December,  i860,  on  the  resigna- 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  49 

tion  of  the  Hon.  Howell  Cobb,  he  was  tendered  by  Presi- 
dent Buchanan  the  high  and  responsible  position  of  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  which  he 
promptly  declined.  In  1861,  after  his  State  had  seceded,  he 
resigned  his  seat  in  Congress,  and  attempted  to  follow  her 
fortunes.  At  the  earnest  request  of  Governor  Ellis  he  ac_ 
cepted  the  office  of  Quarter-Master  General  and  Pay- Master 
General  of  North  Carolina,  but  in  September  following  (1861), 
he  was  commissioned  as  Colonel  of  the  Thirty-third  Regi- 
ment of  North  Carolina  troops,  and  on  the  17th  of  January, 
1862,  was  made  a  Brigadier-General.  Soon  after  this  latter 
appointment  Gen.  Branch  took  command  at  New  Berne, 
where  he  made  a  gallant  stand  against  Gen.  Burnside,  but 
was  crowded  back  by  superior  numbers.  He  was  in  many  of 
the  great  battles  which  followed.  He  led  the  first  assault 
upon  McCleilan  in  the  battles  around  Richmond  ;  was  con- 
spicuous in  the  second  Manassas  campaign  against  Gen. 
Pope ;  was  in  charge  of  a  Division  at  the  capture  of  Harper's 
Ferry  by  Jackson  just  before  the  battle  of  Antietam  ;  and 
was  finally  killed  on  the  17th  day  of  September,  1862,  in 
that  battle,  near  Sharpsburg,  on  the  front  line,  while  checking 
the  advance  of  Burnside's  corps.  The  following  account  of 
his  death  is  given  by  Major  John  Hughes,  of  New  Berne, 
N.  C,  who  was  with  him  when  he  was  killed :  "  He  had 
swept  the  enemy  from  before  him,  and  all  firing  had  ceased 
in  his  immediate  front,  when  Generals  Gregg  and  Archer  di- 
rected his  attention  to  a  V-shaped  column  of  the  enemy  that 
was  advancing  against  the  troops  on  his  left.  He  stepped 
forward,  and  formed  with  these  generals  a  little  group,  which 
evidently  attracted  the  attention  of  some  sharp  shooter  of  the 
other  side.  For,  just  as  he  was  raising  his  field  glasses  to 
his  eyes,  a  single  shot  was  fired,  and  a  bullet  was  sent  to  do 
its  deadly  work,  which,  striking  him  in  the  right  cheek, 
passed  out  back  of  his  left  ear,  and  he  fell,  dying,  into  the 
arms  of  a  member  of  his  staff.  His  remains  were  taken  to 
Raleigh.  The  citizens  of  Raleigh  in  mass-meeting  passed 
resolutions  expressive  of  their  sense  of  the  greatness  of  the 
loss,  and  the  Legislature  took  action  in  the  same  direction. 
4 


50  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

His  funeral  cortege  was  grand,  solemn  and  impressive."  A 
gentleman  of  Raleigh  adds :  "Mr.  Branch  grew  rapidly  in 
the  estimation  of  the  people  of  this  State,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  greatly  beloved  and  respected.  He  was  a  man 
of  strong  traits  of  character,  firm  and  decided  in  his  convic- 
tions, and  decidedly  well  informed  upon  general  topics.  He 
took  a  prominent  part  in  Congress  in  discussing  many  of  the 
great  issues  of  that  day,  and  was  at  one  time  one  of  the 
most  prominent  members  from  the  South." 

Gen.  Branch  married,  April  23,  1844,  Miss  Nannie  Hay- 
wood Blount,  only  daughter  of  Gen.  William  Augustus 
Blount,  of  Washington,  Beaufort  County,  N.  C.  She  still 
lives  and  resides  in  Raleigh,  N.  C,  highly  esteemed  by  all 
who  know  her.  Gen.  Branch  left  four  children  :  i.  Susan 
O'Brian  Branch,  married  to  Mr.  Robert  H.  Jones,  of  Durham, 

N.  C. 2.  William  Augustus  Blount  Branch,  who  married 

Miss  Eliza  Blount,  and  resides  on  his  estate  near  Washington, 

N.  C. 3.  Nannie   Haywood  Branch,  who    married    Arm- 

istead  Jones,  Esq.,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  Raleigh,  N.  C,  and 

4.  Josephine  Lawrence  Branch,  married  to  Kerr  Craige, 

Esq.,  of  Salisbury,  N.  C. 


JOHN  WILLES  BURTON,  ESQ. 

John  Willes  Burton  was  born  at  Beatiesford,  Lincoln 
County,  N.  C,  March  23,  181 7.  His  parents  were  Alfred 
Moore  Burton,  Esq.  (lawyer),  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Fulenwider) 
Burton.  He  was  educated  first  at  Beatiesford  Academy  under 
Robert  Alison  and  afterward  at  Lincolnton  Academy  under  a 
Mr.  Dye. 

Mr.  Burton  entered  the  Freshman  class  at  Princeton  in  the 
■early  part  of  1835,  and  joined  the  Cliosophic  Society,  and 
passed  through  his  course  very  creditably,  graduating  with  a 
scholarship  considerably  above  the  average  of  his  class.  He 
was  a  tall  and  slender  young  man,  rather  delicate  in  appear- 
ance, but  he  was  active  and  vigorous,  and  took  rather  a  dis- 
tinguished part  in  the  games  on  the  back  campus.     He  was 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  51 

quick,  impulsive,  occasionally  under  provocation  passionate ; 
but  was  ordinarily  gentle,  warm-hearted  and  much  liked  by 
his  companions. 

After  leaving  college  he  commenced  the  study  of  law,  first 
under  the  tuition  of  his  father  at  Beatiesford,  afterwards  at 
Riarson's  Law  Schools  at  Mocksville,  Davis  County,  N.  C. 
He  received  his  license  to  practice  law  in  1841,  and  imme- 
diately after  went  to  Tennessee,  where  he  established  himself 
at  Lebanon,  and  practiced  in  connection  with  his  kinsman,  the 
Hon,  Robert  M.  Burton.  While  at  Lebanon  he  for  a  time 
represented  his  county  in  the  legislature  of  Tennessee. 

After  practicing  law  in  Lebanon,  Tenn.,  about  two  years, 
he  removed  in  185 1  to  Shreveport,  La.,  in  which  place  he 
had  practiced  only  four  years  when  he  was  seized  with  a  fatal 
attack  of  yellow  fever,  and  died  at  Shreveport,  La.,  January 
12,  1855. 

Mr.  Burton  was  never  married.  Those  who  knew  him  in 
his  later  years  have  represented  his  professional  attainments 
as  being  very  good,  so  that  he  had  a  fine  prospect  of  success 
and  eminence  when  so  suddenly  cut  off.  His  mother's  family, 
the  Fulenwiders  of  Lincoln  County,  N.  C,  were  extensive  iron 
manufacturers. 


ALEXANDER  SPOTSWOOD  CAMPBELL,  ESQ. 

Alex.-vnder  Spotswood  Campbell,  son  of  John  Wilson 
Campbell  and  Mrs.  Mildred  Walker  (Moore)  Campbell,  was 
born  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  March  10,  181 8.  He  was  prepared 
for  college  at  Petersburg,  under  the  training  of  Jonathan 
Smith,  entered  the  Junior  Class  in  Princeton  College  in  1836, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society. 

He  was  of  large  frame  and  stoutly  built,  and  of  quiet,  retir- 
ing and  orderly  habits.  After  his  graduation  he  devoted  him- 
self to  the  study  of  law,  and  attended  the  Law  School  of  Judge 
Lomax,  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.  He  writes  :  "  In  the  course  of 
a  year  or  two  after  I  came  to  the  bar,  I  married,  and  under 
the  force  of  circumstances   gave  up  the   law  and  became  a 


52  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

plain  Virginia  farmer."  He  has  continued  to  be  and  still  is, 
a  farmer. 

He  married,  April  17,  1844,  Miss  Mary  Ann  Tyler  Horner, 
daughter  of  Mr.  Robert  Richard  Horner,  who  resided  near 
Warrenton,  Va.     He  reports  that  he  has  had  eight  children, 

to  wit:   I,  John  Wilson; 2,  Mary  Horner; '3,  Mildred 

Moore; 4,  William   Horner; 5,  Robert  Richard; 

6,  Josephine   Horner; 7,  Harry  Tyler  : 8,  Alexander 

Spotswood. 

His  son  Robert  Richard  married  a  daughter  of  Col.  John 
S.  Mosby,  is  a  lawyer,  resides  at  Warrenton,  Va.,  and  is  Re- 
corder of  that  town.  We  are  indebted  to  the  courtesy  of  this 
gentleman  for  much  of  the  information  obtained  concerning 
his  father.  Mr.  Campbell's  son  Harry  Tyler  married  the 
daughter  of  an  English  gentleman  named  Muller. 

Mr.  Campbell  states  that  he  has  never  published  anything  ; 
has  never  held  any  civil  office,  nor  any  other  office  than  that 
of  sergeant  in  an  artillery  company  during  the  war  of  1861-65. 

His  mother,  who  died  a  few  years  ago,  aged  about  98  years, 
was  a  great-granddaughter  of  Sir  Alexander  Spotswood.  His 
only  brother,  Charles  Campbell,  was  the  author  of  "  The  His- 
tory of  Virginia,"  published  in  1859. 

Mr.  Campbell  is  a  Presbyterian,  and  was  in  early  life  a 
member  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  Richmond, 
Va.,  of  which  the  Rev.  Moses  D.  Hoge,  D.D.,  is  pastor.  The 
writer  is  informed  that  "  he  is  well-preserved,  looking  young 
when  we  consider  his  age,  but  his  hearing  is  much  impaired. 
He  is  something  of  a  recluse,  and  leads  a  very  quiet  and 
retired  life."  Mr.  Campbell,  himself,  writes  :  "  My  post-office 
address  is  Loch  Raven,  Baltimore  County,  Md.,  where  I  own 
a  small  farm  of  forty  acres  and  have  made  my  home  for  the 
last  four  or  five  years."  He  was  not  present  at  our  memorable 
class-meeting  on  June  20, 1888.  In  a  note  received  by  the  writer 
a  fortnight  before  that  meeting,  Mr.  Campbell  says :  "  Most 
gladly  would  I  embrace  the  opportunity  thus  afforded  of 
meeting  once  more  my  dear  old  class-mates,  but  I  regret  to 
say  that  circumstances  forbid  my  entertaining  any  such  hope. 
Should  I  fail  to  come,  please  convey  to  one  and  all  my  old 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  53 

friends  who  may  be  with   you,  my  warmest  and  most  affec- 
tionate regards." 


JAMES  SAMUEL  CARPER,  ESQ. 

James  Samuel  Carper  was  born  at  Republican  Mill,  Fair- 
fax Co.,  Va.,  January  i,  1819.  His  father  was  Philip  Freder- 
ick Carper;  his  mother  Mrs.  Catharine  (Drill)  Carper.  His 
father  owned  the  Mill  above-mentioned,  which  was  on  the 
stage  road  from  Leesburg  to  Alexandria,  and  his  lands  at  one 
time  adjoined  the  Mount  Vernon  estate  When  a  child  James 
attended  with  his  mother  the  Episcopal  Church  near  Alexan- 
dria, in  which  Gen.  Washington  was  once  accustomed  to 
worship.  He  was  prepared  for  college  by  P.  T.  Renney,  a 
classical  teacher  of  Fairfax  Co.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  went 
to  Amherst  College,  Mass.,  where  he  was  a  Freshman. 

In  1836  he  entered  Princeton  College  as  a  Sophomore  half- 
advanced,  and  joined  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  a  man 
of  large  frame  and  somewhat  reserved  and  quiet  manners;  was 
orderly  and  regular  in  his  habits ;  was  fairly  studious  and 
maintained  through  his  course  a  good  average  in  scholarship. 
He  gave  much  attention  to  public  speaking,  and  was  a  self- 
possessed,  fluent,  graceful  and  impressive  speaker  and  de- 
bater. He  delivered,  by  appointment  of  the  Cliosophic 
Society,  one  of  the  orations  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1837,  on 
"  The  Fallacy  of  our  Prophetic  Dissolution,"  and,  by  appoint- 
ment of  the  College  Faculty,  one  of  the  Commencement 
speeches  on  the  day  of  his  graduation,  on  "  The  Intellect  of 
the  Eighteenth  Century," 

After  leaving  College,  Mr.  Carper  studied  law  with  Burr 
W.  Harrison,  Esq.,  of  Leesburg,  Loudoun  Co.,  Va.,  in  which 
place  he  established  himself  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
for  about  three  years,  but  was  not  very  successful.  He  mar- 
ried, June  25,  1846,  Miss  Elizabeth  C.  Cost,  only  child  of  Mr. 
George  Cost  (then  deceased),  of  Burkittsville,  Frederick  Co., 
Md.,  which  place  became  his  home  for  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  He  had  no  children.  Mrs.  Carper  still  lives  and  resides 
in  Burkittsville. 


54  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Mr.  Carper  was  fond  of  poetry  and  politics,  and  was  to  the 
last  a  fluent  debater  and  an  attractive  speaker.  We  have 
read  several  specimens  of  his  poetry,  some  of  which  were 
admirable.  Under  the  administration  of  Taylor  and  Fillmore 
he  held  the  office  of  Chief  Clerk  under  the  Third  Auditor  in 
one  of  the  Departments  at  Washington.  In  1856  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Maryland  Legislature,  and  continued 
to  be  a  member  for  several  years. 

In  October,  1876,  Mr.  Carper  visited  the  Centennial  Exhi- 
bition in  Philadelphia,  and  was  taken  very  sick  while  there, 
but  rallied  and  spent  a  very  pleasant  Christmas  among  his 
friends.  But  he  was  afterwards  overtaken  by  a  snow-storm 
when  returning  from  Frederick  City  to  his  home,  which  ex- 
posure brought  on  typhoid  pneumonia  that  resulted  in  his 
death  on  Feb.  9,  1877.  He  died  and  was  buried  at  Burkitts- 
ville,  Frederick  Co.,  Md. 

His  widow,  in  writing  of  him,  incidentally  gives  this  high 
eulogium :  "  I  often  heard  him  speak  of  his  classmates  (your- 
self included).  He  had  traveled  much  and  was  an  accom- 
plished gentleman  and  an  exemplary  husband.  To  my  aged 
mother,  who  survived  him  two  years,  he  ever  manifested  the 
most  tender  and  chivalrous  courtesy.  His  nature  was  refined, 
and  culture  brought  out  all  the  noble  qualities  of  his  generous 
heart."  Happy  is  that  man  whose  widow,  twelve  years  after 
his  death,  can  offer  to  his  memory  such  a  testimony. 


WILLIAM  GARDNER  CAZENOVE,  LL.B. 

William  Gardner  Cazenove  was  born  at  Alexandria,  D.  C, 
(now  Virginia)  October  27,  18 19,  and  was  a  son  of  Antoine 
Charles  Cazenove  and  Mrs.  Anne  (Hogan)  Cazenove.  He 
was  of  an  ancient  and  honorable  French  family ;  but  his 
father  was  a  native  of  Geneva  in  Switzerland,  his  ancestors, 
who  were  Huguenots,  having  sought  refuge  in  that  place. 
Our  classmate  was  placed  in  his  boyhood  at  the  famous 
school  of  Benjamin  Hallowell  in  Alexandria.  After  some 
preparatory  studies  at  Georgetown   College,  District  of  Co- 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  55 

lumbia,  and  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  Philadelphia, 
he  entered  Princeton  College  in  1836,  uniting  with  the  Junior 
Class  and  with  the  Cliosophic  Society.  As  a  student,  he  was 
bright,  genial,  active,  gentlemanly  and  industrious,  and  was 
graduated  with  a  very  creditable  rank  for  scholarship. 

After  leaving  Princeton,  he  studied  law  for  a  while  in  the 
office  of  Robert  J.  Taylor,  Esq.  He  was  then  matriculated 
as  a  student  of  law  at  the  University  of  Virginia  at  Charlottes- 
ville, where  he  received  the  degree  of  LL.B.  in  1841,  and 
soon  after  entered  on  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Charles- 
town,  Jefferson  County,  Virginia.  Subsequently  he  moved  to 
Alexandria,  Va.,  where  he  continued  to  practice  law  for  a  time, 
but  soon  abandoned  the  law  and  engaged  with  his  brother^ 
Louis  Albert  Cazenove,  in  mercantile  business,  which  he 
prosecuted  with  great  success  until  the  beginning  of  the  civil 
war  in  1861,  when  he  warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
Confederacy.  Soon  after  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  of  Virginia,  in  which  he  served  two  years.  Sub- 
sequently he  was  commissioned  as  Captain  in  the  Quarter- 
master's Department,  and  continued  to  serve  the  Confederacy 
until  the  fall  of  Richmond.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  re- 
turned to  Alexandria,  was  elected  Vice-President  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Midland  Railroad,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life 
directing  his  energies  to  promoting  its  prosperity. 

Mr.  Cazenove  married,  April  29,  1847,  Mary  Elizabeth, 
only  daughter  of  Judge  Robert  Stanard,  of  Richmond,  Va. 
They  had  four  children:  i.  Anthony  Charles  Cazenove,  un- 
married, resides  in    Baltimore,  Md. 2.   Mary  Stanard,  who 

died  aged  three  years. 3.  Anne,  who   died  in  Boston  in 

1866. ^4.  Constance  Gardner  Cazenove,  was  married  De- 
cember 27,  1883,  to  Judge  Robert  Emmet  Waller,  of  Spott- 
sylvania  County,  Va. ,  and  has  since  died. 

Mr.  Cazenove  joined  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  soon 
after  he  left  the  University  of  Virginia.  He  was  many  years 
a  member  of  the  vestry  of  Christ  Church  in  Alexandria,  and 
frequentl}'  attended  the  Councils  of  the  Diocese.  He  died 
suddenly  at  the  Greenbrier  White  Sulphur  Springs,  in  West 
Virginia,  on  August  8,  1877,  of  disease  of  the  heart.  His  re- 
mains were  buried  in  Alexandria. 


56  BIOGRAPHY  OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

He  was  a  man  of  fortune  and  of  high  culture.  He  was  not 
only  a  church  member,  but  a  man  of  devout  spirit,  of  con- 
sistent life,  and  was  recognized  by  all  who  knew  him  as  a 
genuine  Christian.  His  intellect  was  clear  and  vigorous,  and 
his  mind  was  enlarged  by  reading  and  travel.  His  tempera- 
ment was  ardent,  and  he  possessed  a  flow  of  animal  spirits 
rarely  met  with.  His  cultivation  of  humor  made  him  an 
agreeable  companion ;  his  warm,  true  heart  made  him  a  de- 
voted and  unselfish  friend ;  and  his  decision  of  character  and 
sound  judgment,  united  to  an  unswerving  devotion  to  princi- 
ple, made  him  a  valued  and  trusted  counsellor.  He  possessed 
strict  integrity  ;  a  nice  sense  of  honor ;  was  above  all  that 
was  mean  or  base;  prompt  and  faithful  in  fulfilling  his  pro- 
mises ;  a  friend  to  the  poor ;  abounding  in  quiet  acts  of 
charity ;  and  an  ally  of  true  Christian  benevolence  in  every 
form. 

EDWARD   SAMUEIv   CLARKE,  A.M. 

Edward  Samuel  Clarke,  son  of  Israel  Clarke,  M.D.,  and 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Van  Cleve)  Clarke,  was  born  at  Clarkesville, 
Mercer  Co.,  N.  J.,  about  four  miles  from  Princeton,  N.  J., 
October  24,  1820.  John  W.  Van  Cleve,  of  the  College  Class 
of  1786,  was  Mrs.  E.  V.  Clarke's  brother.  James  I.  Clarke, 
A.M.,  M.D.,  of  the  Class  of  1806,  was  a  half-brother  of  our 
class-mate,  Edward  S.  Clarke.  He  was  a  practicing  physician 
in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  and  died  there  in  1845. 

Edward  S.  Clarke  was  a  pupil  at  the  Classical  and  Com- 
mercial High  School  at  Lawrenceyille,  N.  J.,  where  he  was 
prepared  for  college  under  the  Rev.  Isaac  V.  Brown,  D.D., 
and  A.  H.  Phillips,  A.M.  In  1836  he  entered  the  Sophomore 
Class,  half-advanced,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig 
Society.  In  those  days  he  was  of  medium  size,  a  bright  and 
cheerful  countenance,  distinguished  for  neatness  in  dress  and 
appearance,  always  and  under  all  circumstances  a  gentleman 
in  his  manners,  orderly,  studious,  sociable  and  attractive. 

After  his  graduation,  he  did  not  endeavor  to  enter  either 
of  the  learned  professions,  but  devoted  himself  to  mercantile 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  57 

business,  entering  in  1845  the  large  and  well-established 
house  in  Philadelphia  of  which  Mr.  William  R.  Thompson 
was  the  head,  and  which  was  engaged  in  the  East  India 
trade.  In  1848  he  became  a  partner  in  that  house,  and  in 
185 1  the  firm  assumed  the  name  of  "Thompson,  Clarke  & 
Young."  He  continued  in  that  business,  with  great  success 
and  advantage  to  himself,  until  1867,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  engaged,  in  various  ways,  in  promoting  the  welfare  of 
his  fellow-men  and  of  the  city  in  which  he  resides. 

Mr.  Clarke  was  married  June  4,  1853,  to  Miss  Margaret 
Thompson,  daughter  of  Mr.  William  R.  Thompson,  merchant, 
of  Philadelphia,  and  head  of  firm  above  mentioned.  She  died 
August  15,  1858,  and  since  that  date  he  has  remained  unmar- 
ried.    He  had  only  one  child, — a  son,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Clarke  has  held,  and  still  holds,  many  and  diversified 
offices.  I.  He  became  a  Director  in  1859  (and  still  is  one)  in 
the  Philadelphia  National  Bank.  2.  Since  1861  he  has  been 
a  Director  in  the  Insurance  Company  of  North  America.  3. 
Since  about  1883  he  has  been  a  Manager  of  the  Philadelphia 
Savings  Fund.  4.  Ever  since  i860  he  has  been  a  Manager 
of  the  Children's  Hospital  of  Philadelphia.  5.  He  is  a  Di- 
rector in  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  6.  A  Director  in  the 
Female  School  of  Design.  7.  Since  1853  he  has  been  a 
Member  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences.  8.  He  is  a 
Director  in  the  Industrial  School  of  Art  (Spring  Garden  In- 
stitute). He  also  expends  much  time  and  thought  upon 
various  other  institutions  with  which  he  is  connected — insti- 
tutions financial,  benevolent,  educational,  etc.  Quietly  and 
unostentatiously  he  is  doing  much  to  elevate,  and  cheer,  and 
bless  his  fellow-men.  His  residence  is  at  No.  712  Spruce  St., 
Philadelphia.  He  was  present  and  took  an  active  part  in  our 
Fiftieth  Anniversary  Class-meeting  on  June  20,  1888.  He 
attends  the  Presbyterian  Church,  but  is  not  a  member. 


58  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 


HON.  WILLIAM  SHINN  CLAWSON. 

William  Shinn  Clawson  was  born  October  22d,  1816,  at 
Woodstown,  Salem  County,  N.  J.  His  parents  were  Israel 
Clawson,  M.D  ,  and  Charlotte  (Shinn)  Clawson.  His  brother, 
Isaiah  D.  Clawson,  six  years  younger,  was  a  Princeton  gradu- 
ate of  1840,  received  the  degree  of  M.D.  from  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  in  1843,  practiced  medicine  in  Woodstown  and 
died  there  in  1872. 

William  Shinn  Clawson  was  prepared  for  college  first  at  the 
Lawrenceville  (N.J.)  High  School,  under  A.  H.  Phillips,  A.M., 
and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hamill,  D.D.,  and  later  in  the  Academic 
Department  of  Newark  (Del.)  College  under  Nelson  Z.  Graves, 
entering  Newark  College  in  the  autumn  of  1834  and  remain- 
ing two  years. 

In  the  fall  of  1836  he  entered  the  Junior  class  at  Princeton 
College,  becoming  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  a 
stout  young  man,  of  large  and  strong  frame;  was  social,  cheer- 
ful and  often  jocose  in  manner;  was  fairly  studious  and  was 
graduated  with  a  respectable  average  grade.  He  cultivated 
oratory,  and  was  a  good  and  impressive  speaker. 

After  his  graduation  Mr.  Clawson  studied  law  under  Francis 
L.  McCullough,  Esq.,  of  Salem,  N.  J.,  and,  having  received 
license,  settled  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  his  native 
village  of  Woodstown,  where  he  remained  in  the  enjoyment  of 
a  successful  and  lucrative  practice  until  his  death.  He  received, 
February  23,  1859,  the  appointment  of  Judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  New  Jersey,  the  duties  of  which  high  office  he  per- 
formed with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  all  parties 
concerned.  But  he  was  not  to  continue  long  upon  the  bench. 
After  a  brief  attack  of  congestion  of  the  brain,  he  died  at 
Woodstown  June  17,  186 1.  A  large  marble  column,  signifi- 
cantly broken  off  at  the  top,  and  wreathed  with  ivy — the  most 
imposing  monument  in  the  cemetery — marks  his  grave. 

Judge  Clawson  married  February  27,  1849,  Miss  Abigail 
Rose  Keen,  daughter  of  Mr.  Moses  Keen,  of  Lower  Penn's 
Neck,  Salem   County,  N.  J.     She  was   left  an   orphan    at  an 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  59 

early  age,  and  after  her  father's  death  resided  at  Woodstown 
with  her  uncle.  They  were  married  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  by 
President  Carnahan.  They  had  no  children.  After  Judge 
Clawson's  death  his  widow  married  Mr.  A.  R.  Hackett,  of 
Bridgeton,  N.  J.  She  is  still  living  and  a  second  time  a 
widow. 

Judge  Clawson  is  said  to  have  been  "a  man  of  remarkable 
spirit  and  energy,  of  good  attainments  and  of  thoroughly  up- 
right character.  He  was  not  a  member  of  any  church,  but 
was  a  regular  attendant  at  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Woods- 
town,  of  which  he  was  also  a  Trustee." 


HENRY  LAWRENCE  COBB,  A.M. 

Henry  Lawrence  Cobb  was  born  August  9,  18 19,  at  Troy 
(now  called  Troy  Hills),  Morris  County,  N.  J.  His  parents 
were  Henry  Cobb  and  Mrs.  Maria  (Baldwin)  Cobb.  He  was 
prepared  for  college  partly  by  his  pastor,  the  Rev.  John  Ford, 
and  more  fully  at  the  school  of  the  Rev.  Ezra  Fairchild,  D.D., 
at  Mendham,  N.  J. 

He  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  at  Princeton  College  in 
the  autumn  of  1835,  and  became  a  Clio.  He  was  quiet, 
orderly  and  studious,  and  graduated  with  a  rank  for  scholar- 
ship considerably  above  the  average  of  his  class. 

After  his  graduation  in  1838,  he  spent  one  year  in  Plainfield, 
N.  J.,  studying  law  and  at  the  same  time  teaching  in  the  school 
of  his  former  instructor.  Dr.  Ezra  Fairchild,  who  had  removed 
to  Mendham.  In  the  winter  of  1839-40  he  went  to  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  where  he  continued  the  study  of  law  until  he  was 
licensed,  after  which  he  was  for  a  time  associated  in  practice 
with  Beverly  Allen,  Esq.  He  was  also  for  some  years  Junior 
Editor  of  The  Western  Journal  and  Civilian,  in  the  conduct  of 
which  paper  he  was  associated  both  as  Editor  and  Proprietor 
with  M.  Tanner,  Esq.  He  became  especially  interested  in  the 
railroads,  marble  quarries  and  mineral  and  other  resources  of 
Missouri,  and  wrote  many  newspaper  articles  in  reference  to 
them.     Well-informed  Missourians  have  stated  that  the  advo- 


60  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    1838. 

cacy  of  Mr.  Cobb's  pen  did  much  to  aid  the  development  of 
the  mineral  resources  of  that  State. 

While  living  in  St.  Louis  he  had  a  stroke  of  paralysis,  soon 
after  which,  in  November,  1874,  he  returned  to  his  native 
place  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  quietly  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days,  enjoying  the  society  of  his  relatives  and  friends. 
Mr.  Cobb  was  never  married.  While  living  in  St.  Louis  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and 
to  the  end  of  his  life  manifested  a  devoutly  Christian  spirit. 
His  relatives  testify  that  to  the  end  his  life  was  peaceful, 
Christlike  and  thoroughly  resigned  to  the  divine  will.  He 
died  very  suddenly,  April  15,  1887,  while  seated  at  the  dinner- 
table,  one  account  says  of  apoplexy,  another  of  paralysis  of 
the  heart. 


ELISHA  WHITAKER  CONKLING,  A.  M. 

Elisha  Whitaker  Conkling  was  a  son  of  Isaac  Conkling 
and  Mrs.  Sarah  (Hall)  Conkling,  and  was  born  at  Basking 
Ridge,  Somerset  County,  N.  J.,  August  2,  1819.  He  was  a 
member  of  a  highly  respectable  and  very  excellent  family. 
His  brother,  Mr.  Oscar  Conkling,  was  for  some  years  a  mem- 
ber of  the  New  Jersey  legislature.  He  was  prepared  for 
college  in  a  select  classical  school  at  Basking  Ridge. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  early  in  the  year  1836,  as  a 
Sophomore  half-advanced,  and  joined  the  Cliosophic  Society. 
He  was  of  medium-sized  stature,  of  a  bright  and  pleasant 
countenance ;  of  mild,  amiable  and  sociable  manners,  and  was 
well  liked  by  all  his  associates.  He  was  thoroughly  correct 
in  his  deportment,  attentive  to  every  duty,  and  consistently 
religious  in  his  character.  As  a  scholar  he  was  a  little  below 
the  average,  but  not  much  so. 

After  his  graduation,  Mr.  Conkling  devoted  himself  to 
teaching.  He  taught  first  at  Danville,  Pa.,  two  years ;  then 
at  Hackettstown,  N.  J.,  about  one  year ;  then  at  Basking 
Ridge,  N.  J.,  two  years ;  then  again  at  Danville,  Pa.,  until 
1850.  In  the  latter  year  he  established  at  Danville  a  book 
and  stationery  store,  afterwards  associating  with  it  a  Foreign 


PRINCETON  COLI.EGE.  61 

Exchange  Office  and  an  Express  Agency.  At  the  breaking 
out  of  the  civil  war  in  1861,  he  joined  the  army,  serving  as  a 
private  in  "The  Conkling  Guards."  He  remained  in  the 
service,  however,  but  a  short  time,  nor  is  it  known  that  he  was 
engaged  in  any  actual  fighting.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Danville  for  many  years  and  for  some  time  held  the  office 
of  Chief  Burgess. 

His  life  was  useful  and  honorable,  but  smooth  and  unevent- 
ful. The  writer  met  him  in  Philadelphia  not  many  years 
before  his  death,  and  found  him  singularly  unchanged  by  the 
lapse  of  years,  both  in  personal  appearance  and  in  manners. 
He  died  of  pneumonia,  March  25,  1887. 

Mr.  Conkling  married,  March  27,  1843,  Miss  Margaret  Ellen 
Hibler,  daughter  of  Jacob  Hibler,  of  Danville,  Pa.  He  left 
no  children.  An  adopted  daughter,  fully  grown,  died  a  few 
weeks  before  Mr.  Conkling.  His  widow  still  resides  in  Dan- 
ville. 

He  was  from  his  early  life  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  as  such  was  always  influential,  consistent  and 
useful.  One  who  was  in  his  employ  since  1850.  and  his  asso- 
ciate in  business  since  1866,  says  of  him:  "  During  all  these 
years  there  never  was  a  word  of  difference  between  us.  He 
was  a  man  of  singularly  uniform  temperament  and  possessed  of 
numerous  virtues.  He  stood  high  in  the  community,  and  was 
a  good  business  man,  whose  word  was  as  good  as  his  bond. 
He  took  great  interest  in  the  welfare  and  advancement  of  the 
young,  and  assisted  several  young  men  through  college," 


LEWIS  CONDICT  COOK,  A.M.,  M,D. 

Lewis  Condict  Cook  was  born  at  Stewartsville,  Warren 
County,  N.  J.,  December  16,  181 8.  His  parents  were  Silas 
Condict  Cook,  of  Hackettstown,  N,  J.,  and  Mrs.  Mary  (Hynd- 
shaw)  Cook,  He  was  prepared  for  college  under  the  tuition 
of  Joseph  McCord,  a  Princeton  graduate  of  1825. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1836,  as  a  Sophomore  half- 
advanced,  and  joined  the  Cliosophic  Society.     He  was  grave, 


62  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CI,ASS   OF    1 838. 

steady  and  orderly  in  his  demeanor,  yet  always  friendly  and 
agreeable.  In  person  he  was  of  average  height,  muscular, 
active,  decidedly  good-looking.  He  was  attentive  to  all  the 
studies  and  duties  of  the  class,  and  was  graduated  with  a  grade 
for  scholarship  considerably  above  the  average. 

After  graduating  he  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  medi- 
cine, and  received  his  degree  of  M.D.  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  in  1842.  He  then  settled  to  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Hackettstown,  N.  J.,  where,  with  the  exception 
of  one  interval,  from  1857  to  1861,  he  continued  to  practice 
until  he  died.  There  is  little  to  tell  of  his  remaining  years. 
He  had  a  large  and  advantageous  practice.  He  was  held  in 
the  highest  esteem  by  the  community  in  which  he  dwelt,  and 
was  regarded  as  a  thoroughly  well-informed,  judicious  and 
skilful  physician.  The  writer  of  this  sketch  met  Dr.  Cook  in 
1868  at  Schooley's  Mountain,  a  few  miles  from  his  home,  and 
had  a  delightful  interview  with  him.  His  face  beamed  and  his 
eye  sparkled  with  interest  as  we  talked  over  college  days  and 
college  friends.  He  was  then  grown  to  stouter  proportions, 
and  was  a  really  noble-looking  man ;  but  his  face  and  his 
manner  were  unchanged  by  the  lapse  of  thirty  years. 

Dr.  Cook  married  at  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  March  17,  1852,  Mrs. 
Janet  Eaton,  whose  father  was  Capt.  William  Hall,  of  England. 
Mrs.  Cook  died  before  her  husband.  They  had  three  children, 
only  one  of  whom  survived  their  father.  That  one,  Silas 
Pierson  Cook,  was  graduated  from  Princeton  College  in  1874, 
and  is  now  a  lawyer  in  Hackettstown. 

Dr.  Cook  died  at  Hackettstown  January  10,  1874,  of  typho- 
malarial  fever,  and  is  buried  in  the  Union  Cemetery  of  that 
place.  He  united  with  the  Hackettstown  Presbyterian  Church 
in  1832  on  profession  of  his  faith,  and  ever  after  adorned  his 
profession  by  his  loving  spirit  and  his  exemplary  life.  For 
many  years  before  his  death  he  held  the  office  of  deacon  in 
that  church,  and  on  the  church  roll,  opposite  his  name,  and 
inscribed  by  his  friend  who  was  then  pastor  of  the  church, 
stand  the  words,  "  an  Jiojiored  deacon  and  a  us ef  id  physician." 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  63 


JONATHAN  CORY,  A.M. 

Jonathan  Cory,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Susanna  Cory,  was 
born  at  Westfield,  Union  County,  N.  J.,  June  3,  181 2,  and  was 
prepared  for  college  at  the  classical  school  of  the  Rev.  John 
T.  Halsey,  at  Elizabeth,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Cory  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  in  Princeton  College 
in  1835,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He 
was  large  in  stature ;  considerably  older  than  most  of  his 
classmates  ;  was  clumsy,  ungainly  and  unpolished  in  manners ; 
but  was  good-hearted,  amiable,  friendly,  and  had  a  lively 
sense  of  humor  and  a  good  deal  of  dry  wit,  so  as  to  be  often 
very  amusing.  He  was  an  avowed  and  consistent  Christian, 
was  orderly  and  regular  in  his  habits,  and  maintained  an 
average  rank  in  scholarship. 

On  leaving  College,  Mr  Cory  entered  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary,  intending  to  become  a  minister  of  the  Gospel.  But 
at  the  end  of  a  year  and  a  half  in  the  Seminary  he  relinquished 
this  purpose ;  was  never  ordained  or  even  licensed ;  and 
devoted  the  following  years  to  teaching.  In  1840  he  was  a 
teacher  at  Mount  Joy,  Lancaster  County,  Pa ,  and  afterwards 
in  other  places  until  the  close  of  the  civil  war  in  1865.  He 
then  became  a  missionary  to  the  freedmen  in  the  South,  under 
appointment  first  of  the  American  Missionary  Association, 
afterwards  of  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly's  Committee 
on  Missions  among  the  Freedmen.  In  this  work  he  labored 
zealously  and  faithfully  for  a  number  of  years,  after  which  he 
returned  to  Westfield,  his  native  place,  and  devoted  the  remain- 
ing years  of  his  life  to  farming. 

Mr.  Cory  married  at  Westfield,  N.  J.,  October  31,  1840, 
Miss  Catharine  Crane  Scudder.  This  estimable  lady  outlived 
her  husband,  and  still  resides  with  some  of  her  children  in 
Minneapolis,  Minn.  Mr.  Cory  had  six  children,  one  of  whom, 
David  B.  Cory,  died  February  26,  1883,  before  his  father. 
The  others  are:   i.  Martin  L.  Cory,  who  married  Miss  Annie 

Brew.ster,  of  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  and  lives  in  Westfield. 2.  Miss 

Mary  S.  Cory,  living  in  Minneapolis,  Minn. 3.  Frank  Cory, 


64  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

married  Cornelia  J.  Tucker,  of  Elizabeth,  N.  J. 4.  Phoebe  S. 

Cory,  married  Rev.  William  F.  Cosley  and  lives  at  Seward, 
Winnebago  County,  111. 5.  Miss  Lizzie  Cory,  living  in  Min- 
neapolis, Minn. 

Mr.  Cory  died  of  pulmonary  apoplexy,  after  a  brief  illness, 
at  Westfield,  on  October  16,  1888.  We  are  sorry  to  learn 
that  in  his  last  years  he  was  very  poor.  But  he  was  a  truly 
good  man.  He  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  West- 
field  when  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age.  In  the  last  years  of 
his  life  he  was  a  ruling  elder  in  the  same  church.  His  friends 
and  neighbors  all  say  of  him :  "  He  was  a  very  peculiar  man, 
but  he  was  a  truly  good  man." 


JAMES   STARK   LANE   CUMMINS,  A.M. 

James  Stark  Lane  Cu.mmins  was  born  in  Florida,  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.,  July  14,  18 18.  His  parents  were  the  Rev. 
Charles  Cummins,  D.D.,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
at  Florida  for  many  years,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  (Gamble)  Cum- 
mins. He  received  his  earlier  education  at  "  Hilltop  Semi- 
nary," Morris  County,  N.  J.,  under  the  Rev.  Ezra  Fairchild, 
and  in  1835  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  in  Princeton  Col- 
lege, becoming  also  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society. 

When  a  student,  Mr  Cummins  was  stoutly  built,  with  a 
muscular  system  well  developed,  a  round  and  ruddy  counte- 
nance, a  modest  and  pleasing  manner.  He  was  always  or- 
derly, fairly  studious  and  much  beloved  by  a  circle  of  inti- 
mate friends.  One  thing  distinctly  remembered  through  the 
half  century  since  our  graduation  is  his  cheery,  hearty,  cor- 
dial laugh. 

Immediately  after  he  was  graduated,  Mr.  Cummins  began 
to  study  law  under  Wisner  &  Phillips  at  Goshen,  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  in  winter  under  Samuel  L.  Wilkin,  Esq., 
of  New  York  City.  In  1841  he  was  licensed,  began  to  prac- 
tice, and  has  continued  to  do  so  ever  since  in  New  York  City 
and  with  eminent  success.  For  many  years  he  was  at  the 
head  of  the  widely-known  law  firm  of  Cummins,  Alexander 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  65 

&  Green,  but  for  some  years  past  has  not  been  in  that  con- 
nection. The  legal  abilities,  learning,  acumen  and  sound 
judgment  of  Mr.  Cummins  obtained  a  full  and  far-reaching 
recognition  of  his  abilities  as  a  counselor-at-law  many  years 
ago.  and  the  high  reputation  he  then  acquired  he  still  fully 
maintains.  We  are  informed  that  cases  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance and  of  the  greatest  difficulty  are  brought  to  him  from 
distant  parts  of  our  country,  and  are  intrusted  implicitly  to 
his  guidance.  No  details  in  regard  to  Mr.  Cummins'  profes- 
sional life  can  be  given ;  for,  with  that  great  modesty  for 
which  lawyers  are  always  noted,  he  has  resolutely  declined 
to  furnish  any  information  thereon. 

Mr.  Cummins  married,  April  14th,  i860,  at  Windsor  House, 
near  Churchtown,  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  Miss  Katharine 
Carmichael  Reigart,  who  still  lives  to  adorn  and  bless  her 
home.  They  have  one  child  living, — Miss  Elizabeth  Reigart 
Cummins. 

Mrs.  Cummins'  great-grandfather,  the  Rev.  John  Carmi- 
chael, was  a  graduate  of  Princeton  College,  Class  of  1759. 
(For  an  account  of  him,  see  Dr.  Samuel  D.  Alexander's  vol- 
ume, '^Princeton  College  during'  the  Eighteenth  Century,''  page 
58.)  Several  generations  of  the  Jenkins  family  of  Windsor 
House,  her  relatives,  also  contained  each  a  graduate  of  Prince- 
ton College.  Among  these  were  William  Jenkins  (Class  of 
1799),  an  eminent  lawyer,  for  an  account  of  whom  see  page 
312  of  Dr.  S.  D.  Alexander's  book  above  referred  to;  David 
Jenkins  (Class  of  1821),  and  William  Oswald  Jenkins  (Class 
of  1835),  a  son  of  William  Jenkins  above  mentioned. 

Mr.  Cummins  informs  the  writer  that  he  had  published 
nothing,  had  received  no  titles,  and  had  held  no  office.  To 
one  of  his  other  class-mates,  who  had,  in  addressing  a  letter 
to  him,  innocently  prefixed  to  his  name  the  complimentary 
title  "  Hon.,''  he  writes  with  well-feigned  indignation :  "  I 
have  never  yet  sunk  to  the  position  of  an  office-holder,  and 
therefore  do  not  deserve  to  have  the  stigma  of*  Hon.'  attached 
to  my  name  by  any  one,  much  less  by  an  old  classmate." 

Mr.  Cummins  was   present  at   our   Class-meeting  on  June 
20,  1888,  at  Princeton,  and  took  an  active  part  in  its  proceed- 
5 


66  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

ings.  His  presence  added  greatly  to  the  enjoyableness  of  that 
grand  occasion,  at  which  all  were  delighted  to  see  him. 
About  two  months  afterwards  he  came  very  near  losing 
his  life.  As  he  was  crossing  the  railroad  track  in  his  carriage 
near  Churchtown,  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  a  train  came  along, 
and  his  horses  took  fright  and  ran  away.  He  was  thrown 
out,  and  his  head  struck  a  stone  and  was  badly  bruised.  It 
was  only  through  the  intervention  of  a  merciful  and  wonder- 
ful Providence  that  his  life  was  spared.  His  recovery  was 
slow  and  tedious.  But  his  classmates  all  rejoice  and  are 
grateful  to  God  that  it  has  been  complete. 

Mr.  Cummins  spends  a  considerable  part  of  his  time  at 
Windsor  House,  near  Churchtown,  Lancaster  County,  Pa.  ; 
but  his  residence  is,  and  has  always  since  1840  been,  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  and  there  he  is  still  practicing  law. 


JAMES  HAWTHORN  CUNNINGHAM,  M.D. 

James  Hawthorn  Cunningham  was  born  at  Oxford,  Ches- 
ter County,  Pa.,  December  12,  18 19,  but  when  only  a  few 
months  old  was  removed  to  New  London,  in  the  same 
county.  His  father  was  Allen  Francis  Cunningham,  M.D.,  of 
New  London,  and  his  mother  was  Mrs.  Abigail  (Haw- 
thorn) Cunningham,  from  Lancaster  County,  Pa.  He  was 
prepared  for  college  at  the  New  London  Academy,  Mr. 
James  Magraw,  Principal. 

Mr.  Cunningham  joined  the  Junior  Class  in  Princeton  Col- 
lege in  1837,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society. 
He  was  of  medium  stature,  rather  delicate  in  appearance, 
staid  and  thoughtful  in  manner ;  attentive  to  every  duty,  and 
was  graduated  with  a  very  creditable  grade. 

After  graduating  he  began  the  study  of  medicine,  and  was 
graduated  from  the  Medical  Department  of  the  University  of 
Maryland  in  1841.  He  remained  another  year  as  a  resident 
physician  in  the  Alms  House  of  Baltimore  City  and  County, 
in  which  he  had  previously  spent  two  years  while  a  medical 
student.     In  the  spring  of  1842  he  began  the  practice  of  his 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  67 

profession  in  New  London,  in  which  he  was  successful  to  an 
unusual  degree.  There  he  remained  until  the  spring  of  1858, 
when  he  became  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Ox- 
ford, Pa.,  and  removed  to  that  town.  During  the  years  of 
the  civil  war  he  was  warmly  and  zealously  patriotic.  He 
continued  in  his  cashiership  until  1866,  when  his  health  be- 
came very  poor,  and  he  resigned.  He  died  in  Philadelphia, 
July  2^,  1868,  from  a  disease  of  the  throat,  and  is  buried  in 
New  London  Cemetery. 

Dr.  Cunningham  married,  December  24,  1850,  Miss  Jane 
E.  Nivin,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Nivin,  of  Britain  Township, 
Chester  County,  Pa.     His  wife  survived  him,  and  died  May 

27,    1885.     He  left   six    children. 1.  Lizzie  Wilkin,  who 

married  a  Mr.  Griffith,  and  lives  in  Colorado. 2.  Allan 

Francis. 3.    John    Nivin    (now    deceased). 4.    Annie 

Hawthorne   (deceased). 5.    Helen    Dickey,    who    married 

Mr.   E.   B.   Clark,  and   lives  in   Colorado. 6.  Mary  Nivin 

(deceased). 

From  early  years  Dr.  Cunningham  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  to  whose  order  and  doctrines  he  was 
intelligently  and  warmly  attached.  In  later  years  he  was  a 
ruling  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Oxford,  Pa.,  and 
unless  unavoidably  prevented,  was  with  unfailing  regularity 
in  his  place  at  the  church  services  on  the  Sabbath  and  at  the 
weekly  prayer-meeting.  He  was  a  good  and  a  useful  man, 
and  enjoyed  the  sincere  and  profound  respect  of  the  whole 
community  in  which  he  dwelt. 


ALEXANDER  SPOTSWOOD  DANDRIDGE,  M,D. 

Alexander  Spotswood  Dandridge  was  born  at  "The 
Bower,"  in  Jefferson  County,  Va.,  a  family  homestead,  the 
title-deeds  of  which  came  to  the  Dandridge  family  many 
generations  ago,  bearing  the  autograph  of  Lord  Fairfax.  He 
was  born  there  November  2,  18 19.  His  parents  were  Adam 
Stephen  Dandridge,  of  that  place,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Stevens 
(Pendleton)  Dandridge,  originally  of  Martinsburg,  Va.  (now 


68  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

West  Virginia).  He  was  prepared  for  college  first  by  pri- 
vate tutors  at  his  home,  and  later  at  the  Martinsburg  Acade- 
my, under  Samuel  M.  Whann,  A.M.  His  two  older  broth- 
ers— Adam  Stephen  Dandridge  (class  of  1833  and  still  liv- 
ing), and  Philip  Pendleton  Dandridge  (class  of  1836;  died 
188 1),  had  preceded  him  in  Princeton  College.  He  entered 
the  Sophomore  Class  in  1835,  and  became  a  member  of  the 
Whig  Society. 

In  person,  Mr.  Dandridge  was  above  the  average  height, 
and  of  fine,  full  physical  development.  His  hair  was  auburn, 
inclining  to  a  reddish  hue.  His  face  was  bright,  pleasing  and 
alv/ays  expressive  of  intelligence,  good-nature  and  amiability. 
In  dress  he  was  extremely  neat,  and  in  manners  always  a 
gentleman,  polite  and  agreeable.  While  never  boisterous, 
there  was  in  his  face  and  speech  a  glint  of  sunlit  humor, 
which  made  him  unusually  attractive.*  He  was  regular  and 
orderly  in  attention  to  college  duties,  but  only  fairly  studi- 
ous. 

After  his  graduation  he  immediately  entered  upon  the 
study  of  medicine  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  at 
Philadelphia,  from  which  he  received  his  degree  of  M.D.,  in 
1 841.  Early  in  1843  ^^  settled  in  Cincinnati,  and  soon  se- 
cured wide  recognition  as  a  very  able  and  skillful  physician, 
together  with  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  In  a  letter  to 
the  writer  of  this  sketch  he  very  modestly  says  :  "  I  settled 
**  in  Cincinnati  early  in  1843,  and  have  remained  there  ever 
*'  since.  Have  always  been  a  plain,  plodding,  general  practi- 
^'  tioner  of  medicine  and  surgery  until  six  years  ago,  when  I 
"  was  forced  to  retire  by  an  inherited  and  acquired  proclivity 
"  to  gout.  Since  then  I  have  been  a  quiet  '  drone  '  in  the 
"  busy  hive  of  men."  A  meeting  of  his  medical  brethren  of 
Cincinnati,  held  just  after  his  death,  speak  of  his  professional 
life  in  quite  a  different  way.  They  unanimously  voted  as  fol- 
lows : 

"Beginning  his  professional  life  in  this  city  in  the  year  1843,  Dr. 
Dandridge  rapidly  attained  a  high  position  as  a  physician  and  surgeon. 

♦This  pleasing  humor,  letters  written  in  the  last  year  of  his  life,  show  plainly  that 
he  retained  to  the  end,  even  when  he  was^a  sufferer. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  69 

In  the  good  old  days,  when  to  be  a  good  surgeon  required  one  first  to  be 
a  good  physician,  Dr.  Dandridge  fully  reaUzed  the  truth  of  this  re- 
mark, for  he  was  not  only  a  good  surgeon,  but  also  a  good  physician. 
It  is  doubtful  whether  specialism  has  given  us  better  results,  on  the 
whole,  than  were  attained  by  the  all-round  men  like  Dr.  Dandridge  and 
his  contemporaries.  He  was  a  handsome  man  in  his  youth,  and 
always  a  commanding  and  notable  man  by  his  presence  in  every  as- 
sembly and  in  every  house.  His  genial  disposition,  his  cordial  man- 
ners, coupled  with  his  scientific  ability,  soon  won  for  him  a  high  posi- 
tion and  a  large  clientele.  He  was  born  with  all  the  instincts  of  a  gen- 
tleman, and  a  gentleman  he  was  to  the  last.  He  manifested  these 
high  traits  on  all  occasions  to  his  professional  colleagues.  What  more 
lovable,  what  more  worthy  of  admiration,  what  more  lasting  can  a 
man  leave  to  his  family,  his  friends  and  his  professional  brethren  than 
the  memory  of  a  noble,  generous  and  honorable  gentleman  ?  These 
memories  Dr.  Dandridge  has  left. 

"  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  judgment  and  a  wise  counselor.  While 
not  a  contributor  to  the  medical  press,  his  advice  to  his  professional 
colleagues,  animated  as  it  was  by  steadiness  and  honor,  was  always  of 
great  value.  For  some  years  he  was  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  City 
Hospital,  where  his  advice  and  experience  proved  of  great  benefit. 
Men  may  come  and  men  may  go,  but  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  we 
are  called  on  to  pay  the  last  word  of  tribnte  to  one  more  noble,  more 
high-toned  and  more  lovable  as  a  colleague  than  Dr.  A.  S.  Dandridge. 

"  He  died  in  the  firm  faith  of  a  Christian,  and  in  this  showed  forth  an 
example  to  many  carried  away  by  the  false  notions  of  the  day.'* 

Dr.  Dandridge  married,  May  4,  1843,  Miss  Martha  Eliza 
Pendleton,  daughter  of  Colonel  Nathaniel  Green  Pendleton,  of 
Cincinnati.  She  died  February  24,  1882.  They  had  ten 
children,  of  whom  four  died  in  infancy;  while  his  youngest 
son,  Mr.  Alexander  Spotswood  Dandridge,  died  only  two  or 
three  weeks  before  his  father,  aged  about  thirty.  His  five 
surviving  children  are  :  i.  Mrs.  Jane  Pendleton  Warren,  wife 
of  Mr.  W.  Dalton  Warren,  of  Colorado 2.  Nathaniel  Pen- 
dleton Dandridge,  M.D.,  a  physician  of  Cincinnati. 3.  Mrs. 

John  M.  Bowers,  of  New  York  City. 4.  Mrs.  Lewis  W.  Ir- 
win, of  Cincinnati. And  5.  Miss  Mary  Evelina  Dandridge, 

of  the  same  city.     He  had  five  grandchildren. 

Dr.  Dandridge  was  a  member  and  one  of  the  vestry  of 
Christ's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  in  Cincinnati,  for  many 
years.     He  was  also  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  City  Hospital. 


70  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

In  one  of  his  letters  he  writes  :  "  I  greatly  deprecated  the 
war,  [of  1861-65]  and  used  what  little  influence  I  had  to  per- 
suade my  Southern  friends  to  refrain  from  the  step,  the  result 
of  which  I  foresaw  from  the  first.  I  took  no  part,  personally, 
in  the  conflict,  other  than  going  as  a  surgeon  of  a  volunteer 
regiment  sent  to  the  field  for  a  few  days  only,  for  the  defence 
of  Cincinnati  against  a  threatened  attack  of  the  Confederates." 

His  letters,  received  within  the  last  year  or  two,  have  been 
most  entertaining,  and  have  given  many  choice  bits  of  college 
reminiscence.  We  cannot  refrain  from  giving  one  or  two 
quotations.     He  wrote : 

"  I  participated  in  dragging  the  cannon  from  Jug  Town  to  the  front 
College  Campus.'' 

**  Of  course  you  know  that  it  was  our  class,  in  the  Junior  year,  that 
sent  out,  with  the  consent  of  the  Faculty  and  the  Trustees,  committees 
to  ask  the  Alumni  for  contributions  towards  building  the  two  literary 
Halls,  (Whig  and  Clio)  in  the  back  Campus.  Commodore  R.  F.  Stock- 
ton headed  the  Whig  list  with  a  subscription  of  $1,000,  an  unheard  of 
amount  in  those  days  of  small  fortunes  and  ideas.'' 

"  I  remember  some  ingenious  episodes  in  our  college  life.  For  in- 
stance, when,  as  Sophomores,  we  had  a  recitation  before  breakfast,  on  the 
ground  floor  under  what  was  then  the  Library — which  recitation  was 
most  repugnant  to  the  feelings  of  those  of  the  class  who  enjoyed  their 
morning  '  beauty  sleep.'  They  conceived  the  idea  that  they  could  ef- 
fectively break  up  so  outrageous  a  custom,  and  to  that  end  they  shut  up 
a  cow  over  night  in  the  room,  first  having  provided  for  her  night's  orgies 
a  wash-tub  full  of  bran.  'Stevey''  [an  irreverent  name  for  Professor 
Stephen  Alexander]  was  found  equal  to  the  occasion  next  morning.  He 
cast  his  eye  around  the  room,  took  in  the  situation  at  once,  and  without 
a  change  of  countenance,  took  his  stand  (for  there  was  no  place  in  the 
whole  room  where  he  could  sit)  before  his  table,  and  went  through  the 
usual  recitation.  I  never  knew  who  conceived  this  plan,  but  always 
thought  that  M.D.E,,  '  Boss '  Carnahan's  special  ward,  was  the  head 
and  front  of  the  affair.'' 

Dr.  Dandridge  was  not  present  at  our  class-meeting  of 
June  20,  1888,  but  greatly  longed  to  be  there,  as  he  wrote  to 
several  of  his  classmates,  adding,  "  but  my  health  is  so  shat- 
tered by  repeated  attacks  of  gout  that  I  cannot  say,  with  any 
degree  of  certainty,  what  I  may  be  able  to  do.  My  Jieart  will  be 
with  you,  but  whether  my  corpus  of  near  290  pounds  can  also 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  71 

be  is  another  question."  After  the  meeting,  he  wrote:  "It 
was  a  source  of  great  disappointment  to  me  that  I  was  unable 
to  be  with  you  on  an  occasion  of  such  profound  interest.  But 
I  was  prevented  by  an  inability  to  wear  shoes  (from  gout),  and 
it  IV  as  too  far  to  go  barefooted'' 

At  a  later  day  he  again  wrote,  "  I  shall  look  forward  with 
infinite  pleasure  to  the  receipt  of  the  Class  Book."  Alas  !  he 
did  not  live  to  see  it.  On  April  27,  1889,  in  the  70th  year  of  his 
age,  he  very  peacefully  passed  away  to  a  brighter  world.  His 
youngest  daughter  writes — "  His  disease  was  chronic  Bright's 
disease,  which  brought  on  a  complication  of  heart  and  lung 
trouble.  He  knew  what  the  end  would  be,  but  was  ready  and 
willing  to  go,  and  bore  his  sufferings  without  a  murmur.  He 
was  conscious  to  within  two  hours  before  his  death." 


JOSEPH  HOLMES  DAVIS,  A.M. 

Joseph  Holmes  Davis  was  born  at  Cream  Ridge,  Mon- 
mouth County,  N.  J.,  on  September  9,  18 19.  His  parents 
were  William  Davis,  M.D..  and  Mrs.  Alice  (Holmes)  Davis. 
He  was  prepared  for  college  in  the  Classical  School  of  the 
Rev.  Charles  C.  Sears  at  Princeton,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Davis  entered  the  Freshman  Class  of  Princeton  College 
in  1834,  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  large  in  size 
and  firmly  built;  somewhat  grave  and  sedate  in  deportment, 
yet  sociable  and  friendly,  correct  and  upright  in  character,  but 
not  studious,  and  stood  far  down  in  his  class  in  scholarship. 

After  he  graduated  Mr.  Davis  entered  into  partnership  with 
Mr.  John  Hunt,  and  under  the  name  of  Davis  &  Hunt  was 
engaged  in  mercantile  business  in  Princeton  until  1844.  He 
was  then  employed  three  or  four  years  in  the  old  Chambers 
Street  Savings  Bank  in  New  York  until  his  health  failed.  He 
then  spent  some  time  at  his  father's  in  Monmouth  County, 
and  afterwards  took  a  trip  through  some  of  the  Southern 
States.  But  his  health  continued  to  decline,  and  he  died  of 
consumption  May  22,  1855,  ^^  his  father's  house,  and  was 
interred  at  a  burial-ground  in  that  vicinity. 


72  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

He  married  at  Newtown,  Pa.,  November  28,  1839,  Miss 
Achsah  M.  Ely,  daughter  of  Mr.  Hugh  B.  Ely,  of  Bucking- 
ham, Pa.  She  died  February  3,  1844.  He  left  but  one  child, 
a  daughter,  Mary  Olden  Davis,  born  November  5,  1841,  who 
married  Mr.  George  Eastburn,  of  Philadelphia,  and  died  May 
8,  1873,  leaving  one  son.  Holmes  Davis  Eastburn,  who  is  now 
preparing  to  enter  Princeton  College. 

Mr.  Davis  was  a  ruling  elder  in  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Princeton,  N.  J.,  from  1845  until  1848.  He  was 
also  a  Trustee  of  the  same  church  from  1846  until  1849. 
After  the  death  of  his  wife  he  was  anxious  to  study  for  the 
ministry,  but  his  friends  dissuaded  him  because  of  his  poor 
health.  He  was  highly  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him. 


REV.  WILLIAM  ARMSTRONG  DOD,  A.M.,  D.D. 

William  Armstrong  Dod  was  born  at  EHzabethtown,  (now 
Elizabeth),  N.  J.,  June  29,  1816.  His  parents  were  David  Dod 
and  Mrs.  Nancy  (Squier)  Dod  He  was  a  younger  brother  of 
Prof  Albert  Baldwin  Dod,  D.D.,  of  Princeton  College  (Class 
of  1822).  His  preparation  for  college  was  obtained  in  the 
Classical  School  of  the  Rev.  John  T.  Halsey  at  Elizabeth- 
town,  N.  J.  In  1835  he  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  of 
Princeton  College,  and  joined  the  Cliosophic  Society. 

In  stature  Mr.  Dod  was  somewhat  under  the  medium  size, 
and  of  a  light  and  rather  slender  form,  was  quiet  and  gentle 
in  manner,  was  thoughtful,  often  sad,  and  even  at  times  deeply 
melancholy.  His  intellect  was  bright  and  keen,  his  memory 
tenacious,  his  gifts  many  and  various.  He  was  a  good  writer, 
an  excellent  speaker,  and  popular  among  his  fellow-students. 

After  his  college  graduation  he  studied  law ;  was  a  tutor  in 
Princeton  College,  1840-41  ;  then  studied  law,  and  for  a  short 
time  practiced  it  in  New  York  City,  until  1844.  In  that  year 
he  determined  to  study  for  the  gospel  ministry,  and  entered 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  whence  he  was  graduated, 
after  a  full  course  of  three  years,  in  1847.     He  was  ordained 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  *  73 

as  an  Evangelist  by  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  April  25, 
1850;  served  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Port  Richmond, 
Philadelphia,  as  Stated  Supply  nearly  two  years ;  and  was 
pastor  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  at  Princeton,  N.  J., 
from  1852  to  1859.  In  ^^^  latter  year  he  determined  to  enter 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  was  ordained  a  deacon 
therein ;  was  further  ordained  as  a  presbyter  by  Bishop  Oden- 
heimer,  June  3,  i860;  was  installed  as  Rector  of  Trinity 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  May  10,  1861, 
and  continued  to  hold  that  position  until  March,  1866,  when 
his  health  failed,  and  he  ceased  to  perform  any  further  regular 
public  duties. 

Mr.  Dod  married,  October  10,  1850,  Miss  Catherine  Eliza- 
beth Stockton,  daughter  of  Commodore  Robert  F.  Stockton, 
of  Princeton.     They   had    four   children:    i.    Harriet    Maria 

Dod. 2.  Robert  Stockton  Dod  (Class  of  1873),  who  studied 

for  the  Episcopal  ministry,  but  now  resides  upon  a  ranche  in 

Texas. James  Potter  Dod  (Class  of  1878) Mary  Dod. 

They  are  all  still  living. 

Mr.  W.  A.  Dod  received,  in  1855,  while  pastor  of  Princeton 
Second  Church,  the  appointment  from  the  College  of  "  Lec- 
turer on  The  Fine  Arts,  including  Architecture,"  which  posi- 
tion he  held  until  1859.  His  lectures  during  these  years  are 
spoken  of  as  having  been  in  a  high  degree  attractive  and  in- 
structive. 

In  the  year  1859  he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  in 
Divinity  from  Columbia  College,  N.  Y. 

After  Dr.  Dod  relinquished  the  rectorship  of  Trinity  Church 
in  1866,  he  continued  to  live,  in  very  poor  health,  a  quiet  and 
retired  life  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Princeton 
December  31,  1872.     His  widow  died  March  24,  1874. 


JOHN  McAULEY  EAGER,  A.  M.,  ESQ. 

John  McAuley  Eager  was  born  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  Oct. 
13,  1 817.  His  parents  were  Samuel  Watkins  Eager,  and  Mrs. 
Catharine  (McAuley)  Eager.   His  father,  Mr.  Samuel  Watkins 


74  BIOGRAPHY  OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Eager,  was  a  lawyer  in  Newburgh,  a  graduate  of  Princeton 
College  (class  of  1809),  a  Representative  in  Congress,  and 
died  at  Newburgh,  Dec.  23,  i860.  It  was  a  singular  fact  that 
during  the  first  year  of  his  course  in  Princeton  College  the 
son  John  occupied  the  identical  room  that  his  father  had  occu- 
pied nearly  thirty  years  before. 

Mr.  Eager  was  prepared  for  college  under  Mr.  Jacob  C. 
Tooker  in  the  Academy  at  Montgomery,  Orange  Co.,  N.  Y. 
He  joined  the  Freshman  Class  in  Princeton  College  in  1834, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  of  about 
the  average  height,  rather  broadly  built.  His  face  was  some- 
what sharp-featured  in  its  outline,  and  pleasing.  He  was  not 
an  earnest  student,  and  his  final  grade  was  low.  But  he  was 
a  great  reader,  a  ready  and  correct  writer,  and  an  earnest, 
graceful  and  impressive  speaker.  In  conversation  he  was 
fluent  and  argumentative.  Among  his  recollections  of  college 
life.  Dr.  Lewis  McKnight  gives  the  following:  "Eager  and 
Wall  were  strong  politicians  of  antagonistic  parties,  and  they 
often  met  in  Wall's  room  which  was  the  northwest  corner  of 
the  upper  floor  of  Old  North  College,  while  mine  was  the 
southeast  corner,  and  as  they  would  get  excited  in  their  dis- 
cussions, one  could  hear  them  all  over  that  floor,  and  they 
were  often  notified  that  they  were  a  nuisance."  Nevertheless, 
Eager  excelled,  and  was  popular  as  a  public  speaker,  and  was 
more  than  once  chosen  to  represent  the  college  or  the  Whig 
Society  on  public  occasions. 

After  his  graduation,  he  studied  law  with  his  father  at  New- 
burgh. On  receiving  license  to  practice  in  1841,  he  removed 
to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  where  he  practiced  for  eleven  years.  He 
was  at  one  time  District  Attorney  for  St.  Louis  City  and 
county.  He  returned  to  New  York  City  in  1852,  where  he 
lived  and  practiced  until  his  death.  After  his  death  the  Neiv 
York  Tribune  said  of  him,  "  He  was  a  well-read  lawyer,  a  fine 
scholar,  an  eloquent  advocate  and  a  graceful  writer.  His 
addresses  during  the  war,  in  this  city  and  elsewhere,  will  be 
remembered  with  pleasure  by  all  who  heard  them."  We  can- 
not here  do  better  than  to  give  a  portion  of  a  letter  very 
kindly  sent  to  the  writer  by  Judge   E.  L.  Fancher,  of  New 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  75 

York   City,  President  of  The  American   Bible  Society,  who 
knew  Mr.  Eager  intimately.     He  says  : 

In  1856  and  1857,  Mr.  Eager  was  my  law  partner,  and  we  pursued  the 
practice  of  the  law  under  the  name  of  Fancher  &  Eager  ;  but  he  with- 
drew from  the  firm  and  substantially  from  his  law  practice,  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  shortly  after  his  second  marriage  in  1857.  He  came  from 
St.  Louis  to  New  York,  having  begun  his  early  practice  in  that  western 
city.  His  reputation  then  was  brilliant  and  promising,  both  as  a  good 
lawyer  and  an  eloquent  speaker.  During  the  time  he  was  associated 
with  me  his  practice  was  successful  and  lucrative,  and  he  gave  promise 
of  soon  reaching  the  front  rank  of  his  profession.  Mr.  Eager  married 
a  second  time  in  1857,  and  his  second  wife  was  a  lovely  lady.  Soon 
after  this  marriage  Mr.  Eager  was  much  absent  from  New  York,  travel- 
ling and  visiting,  and,  as  I  have  heard,  his  practice  diminished.  Not 
many  years  afterward  I  heard  that  coming  to  New  York,  he  had  died 
of  some  sudden  illness  at  a  hotel  in  that  city.  Mr.  Eager  was  gifted 
with  natural  abilities  of  a  high  order,  and  his  acquirements  and  legal 
training  made  him,  while  I  knew  him,  the  pride  of  his  friends  and  the 
accomplished  man.'' 

In  addition  to  his  ability  as  a  lawyer  and  advocate,  Mr. 
Eager  was  the  author  of  many  pieces  in  prose  and  verse, 
which  had  a  wide  circulation,  and  were  greatly  admired. 
Among  these  may  especially  be  named  his  short  poem  enti- 
tled "  Greenwood  in  Winter,"  originally  published  in  ^^ Harper's 
Weekly.'"     It  was  written  a  few  days  before  his  death. 

Mr,  Eager  married;  ist,  Miss  Jane  Maria  Fish,  July  26, 
1843.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Thomas  Fish,  a  retired 
merchant  of  Newburgh,  N.  Y.  She  died  in  New  York  City, 
Nov.  16,  1855.  He  married;  2d,  Miss  Margaret  Campbell 
McLaren,  Oct.  14,  1857,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Malcom  N. 
McLaren,  D.  D.,  deceased,  then  pastor  of  a  church  in  New- 
burgh, afterwards  of  Auburn,  N.  Y.  She  still  lives,  and  is 
now  Mrs.  Robert  Nelson,  of  Auburn,  N.  Y.  He  left  two 
children  by  each  wife.  They  are — i.  Mrs.  Maria  Louise 
Finnall,  widow  of  M.  S.  Finnall,  residing  at  Los  Angeles, 
Cal.  ; — 2.  Mary  Elizabeth  Nyhart,  wife  of  Alpheus  F.  Nyhart, 
of  Casselton,  Cass  Co.,  Dakota  ; — 3.  John  McAuley  Eager, 
M.  D.,  of  Baltimore,  Md. ;  and — 4.  Susan  McLaren  Eager, 
residing  at  Auburn,  N.  Y. 


76  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

Mr.  Eager  died  suddenly  of  apoplexy  at  French's  Hotel,  in 
New  York  City,  March  4,  1869,  and  was  buried  in  St.  George's 
Cemetery  at  Newburgh.  The  lady  who  was  the  second  Mrs. 
Eager  writes  of  him  :  "  As  a  husband  and  father  he  was  most 
devoted ;  as  a  friend  he  was  sincere.  For  several  years  he 
attended  the  church  of  which  the  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Alexander 
(his  college  classmate)  was  pastor ;  for  the  last  twelve  years 
of  his  life  the  Collegiate  Dutch  Church  on  Fifth  Avenue,  New 
York.  I  can  truly  say  of  him  that  he  was  kept  unspotted 
from  the  world.'' 


MAHLON  DICKERSON  EYRE,  A.  M. 

Mahlon  Dickerson  Eyre  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
April  13,  1 82 1.  His  parents  were  Mr.  Manuel  Eyre  of  the 
class  of  1793,  a  successful  merchant  of  Philadelphia  who  was 
born  in  1777  and  died  in  1845,  and  Mrs.  Ann  Louisa  (Con- 
nelly Eyre).  He  was  prepared  for  college  in  an  Academy  at 
Holmesburg,  near  Philadelphia,  and,  with  his  older  brother 
Manuel,  entered  the  Freshman  Class  at  Princeton  College,  in 
1834.  He  was  probably  the  youngest  member  of  the  class, 
scarcely  more  than  a  bright  young  boy  of  small  stature.  He 
had  a  fresh,  lovable,  mischievous  face,  with  a  large,  expressive 
eye  full  of  gentleness  as  well  as  of  fun,  and  was  a  general  pet 
among  the  older  and  stronger  students.  He  did  not  study 
much,  and  at  the  end  of  a  four  years  course  came  out  with  a 
very  low  grade.  He  was  far  fonder  of  fun  and  mischief  than 
of  Latin  or  Greek.     He  was  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society. 

After  his  graduation,  he  went  into  a  wholesale  dry  goods 
house  in  Philadelphia,  to  learn  the  business.  It  proved  wholly 
distasteful  to  him.  He  then  went  to  China  in  one  of  his 
father's  ships,  meeting  some  terrible  cyclones  in  the  Straits. 
He  afterwards  went  to  California  and  was  in  San  Francisco  in 
1849,  where  he  was  made  City  Assessor,  and  helped  to  put 
down  some  fearful  riots.  He  bought  some  land  in  California 
and  cultivated  it  and  prospered ;  but  floods  swept  away  his 
improvements. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  77 

About  this  time  his  father  died,  and  he  returned  to  Phila- 
delphia. Before  long,  however,  he  again  went  abroad  and 
traversed  Central  America,  Peru  and  Chili  and  came  around 
Cape  Horn  to  Monte  Video,  then  again  to  Philadelphia.  His 
brother  Wilson  was  then  married  and  living  in  Florence,  Italy. 
So  was  his  sister.  And  thus  he  was  attracted  to  that  charm- 
ing city,  where  he  met  the  lady  who  became  his  wife,  and 
Florence  became  his  home  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Last  year  a  long  and  interesting  letter  was  received  by  the 
writer  from  Mrs.  Eyre,  and  from  that  letter  are  drawn  the 
remaining  facts  given  in  this  sketch,  and  partly  in  her  own 
words. 

"We  were  married  July  15,  1859,  ^^'^  when  the  civil  war  in  the 
United  States  broke  out,  he  was  all  anxiety  to  return  and  take  his  part 
in  the  defence  of  the  Union.  But  I  was  the  only  child  of  my  parents 
and  they  were  old.  Part  from  my  husband  I  would  not.  To  leave  my 
parents  would  be  cruel.  So  we  remained  in  Florence.  My  husband 
determined  to  go  into  business  here,  and  took  into  partnership  an  Italian 
gentleman.  For  some  years  his  business  prospered.  Then  his  partner 
retired.  Afterwards,  in  1876,  he  was  absent  in  the  United  States  six 
months.  The  person  to  whom  his  affairs  were  intrusted  in  his  absence, 
mismanaged  them.  Much  of  his  accumulated  property  was  lost.  At 
one  time  (the  year  is  not  known)  Colonel  Burroughs  of  the  British  Army 
and  Mr.  Eyre  made  a  trip  to  Algiers,  took  guides  and  lived  an  Arab  life 
for  two  months,  wandering  through  the  desert  and  living  in  tents.  He 
had  many  pleasant  tales  to  tell  of  those  months. 

"  In  1880,  Mr.  Eyre  closed  up  his  business  and  retired  from  active  life 
in  very  poor  health.  In  the  summer  of  1882  the  weather  was  very  hot, 
and  all  visitors  had  fled  to  the  seaside.  On  the  morning  of  August  28th 
of  that  year,  after  a  weary  night  he  fell  asleep,  resting  on  my  arm.  Soon 
he  became  cold :  then  I  knew  I  was  alone.  He  was  buried  at  the  Baths 
of  Lucca,  beside  my  father  and  my  mother." 

Mr.  Eyre  married  in  Florence,  Italy,  July  15,  1859,  Miss 
Isabella  Olivia  Smythe,  daughter  of  Mr,  Currell  B,  Smythe, 
of  Belfast,  Ireland,  but  then  a  resident  in  Florence,  She  sur- 
vived him  with  five  children,  viz. :  i.  Virginia  Eyre,  living  at 

Florence   with    her   mother. 2.  Katie,  wife  of  Mr.  Edgar 

Vicker,  a  lawyer  residing  in  London. 3.  Charles  Connelly 

Eyre,  in  business  in  Florence. 4.  Isabella  Olivia  Eyre,  living 


78  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

in  Florence  with  her  mother. 5.  Arthur  Hale  Eyre,  study- 
ing in  the  Royal  Naval  Academy  at  Turin,  Italy. 

Mr.  Eyre  was  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
in  Florence,  and  for  many  years  its  Treasurer.  "  He  never 
refused  to  help  a  poor  man,  and  had  a  kind  word  for  every 
sorrowing  heart.  '  A  man  in  whom  there  was  no  guile,'  may 
truly  be  said  of  him." 


ARTHUR  WILLIAM  FRICK. 

Arthur  William  Frick  was  born  at  Danville,  Pa.,  January 
15,  1 8 16,  and  was  the  son  of  George  Augustus  Frick,  Esq., 
and  Mrs.  Eleanor  (Hurley)  Frick,  of  that  place.  He  was  pre- 
pared for  college  in  the  Danville  Academy,  under  Mr.  Au- 
gustus A.  Wood,  its  principal.  His  family  was  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  influential  in  Danville. 

Mr.  Frick  entered  college  in  1835,  joining  the  Sophomore 
Class  and  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  quiet,  orderly  and  stu- 
dious ;  somewhat  retired  and  reserved  in  manners,  yet  well 
liked  by  his  associates,  and  of  good  abilities. 

Immediately  after  graduating,  he  began  the  study  of  law 
under  the  guidance  of  his  father.  After  obtaining  license  to 
practice,  he  settled  in  his  native  town  of  Danville  and  re- 
mained there  until  January,  1849.  He  then  undertook  a  journey 
to  California,  but  was  seized,  en  routc^  in  New  York  City,  with 
a  most  serious  attack  of  inflammation  of  the  lungs.  Having 
partially  recovered,  he  proceeded  on  his  journey  by  way  of 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  arrived  at  San  Francisco,  July  5, 
1849.  Soon  after,  he  went  to  San  Jose,  where  he  hoped  to  be 
benefited  by  the  climate,  but  finally  went  to  Mariposa  Valley. 
There,  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  he  was  found  by  a 
good  Samaritan,  in  his  tent,  alone,  abandoned  and  robbed  by 
his  Mexican  servant,  and  in  a  dying  condition.  He  lingered 
for  a  short  time  and  died  on  November  30,  1849,  of  pulmonary 
consumption.  He  was  buried  by  an  unknown  friendly  hand, 
and  the  spot  is  unmarked.     He  never  married. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  79 


COL.  DAVID   FUNSTEN. 

David  Fqnsten  was  born  October  14,  18 19,  at  White  Post, 
Clarke  County,  Va. ;  his  father,  OHver  R.  Funsten,  having  at 
an  early  age  come  from  the  northern  part  of  Ireland  and  set- 
tled in  that  place.  His  mother,  Mrs.  Margaret  (McKay) 
Funsten,  was  of  English  descent.  He  was  prepared  for  Col- 
lege by  Mr.  John  Bruce,  principal  of  an  Academy  at  Winches- 
ter, Va.  He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1836,  joining  either 
the  Sophomore  Class,  half-advanced,  or  the  Junior  Class — 
it  is  not  known  which — and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig 
Society.  In  stature  he  was  at  this  time  rather  under  medium 
size,  was  brisk  and  energetic  in  his  movements,  agreeable  in 
his  manners,  correct  and  orderly  in  his  demeanor  and  moder- 
rately  studious. 

After  his  graduation  he  at  once  began  the  study  of  law, 
and  having  obtained  license,  entered  successfully  upon  its 
practice  in  his  native  county. 

Near  the  end  of  November,  1844,  he  married  Miss  Susan 
Meade,  daughter  of  David  Meade  (a  Princeton  graduate  in 
the  Class  of  18 12),  of  Clarke  County,  Va.,  and  niece  of  the 
Right  Rev.  William  Meade,  D.D.,  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Diocese  of  Virginia  (Princeton  Class  of  1808). 

In  the  same  year,  1844,  Mr.  Funsten  was  elected  delegate 
to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  to  repre- 
sent the  Counties  of  Clarke  and  Warren.  In  1852  he  re- 
moved to  Alexandria,  Va.,  and  continued  the  practice  of  law 
there  and  in  Washington,  D.  C,  until  the  beginning  of  the 
civil  war,  when,  espousing  the  cause  which  he  believed  to 
be  in  the  right,  he  joined  the  Southern  Army.  He  was  soon 
appointed  Lieutenant  Colonel,  and  afterwards  Colonel,  of  the 
Eleventh  Virginia  Regiment.  He  was  severely  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  "  Seven  Pines,"  from  the  effects  of  which  wound 
he  never  fully  recovered.  Being  thus  disabled  for  further 
field  service,  he  was  elected  to  the  Confederate  Congress  as 
the  Representative  from  the  Seventh  District.  "In  this  capa- 
city he  served  with  great  credit  and  honor  to  himself  until 


80  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

the  fall  of  the  Confederacy."  The  civil  war  having  ended, 
with  shattered  fortune  and  broken  health  Colonel  Funsten 
looked  around  for  a  place  from  which  to  start  anew  in  life's 
battle.  His  heart  yearned  towards  old  Alexandria,  the  home 
of  his  adoption,  and  he  did  not  hesitate  to  select  it. 

But  disease  had  fastened  upon  his  system,  and  it  soon  be- 
came apparent  that  his  earthly  course  was  about  to  close.  A 
severe  attack  of  typhoid  pneumonia  prostrated  him,  and  on 
April  6,  1866,  at  his  residence  near  Alexandria,  Va.,  he  passed 
away  "as  calmly  and  as  peacefully  as  an  infant  falls  to  sleep." 
He  left  a  widow  and  ten  children.  His  widow  survived  him 
but  a  few  years. 

Colonel  Funsten  had  thirteen  children,  three  of  whom  died 
in  childhood.  The  remaining  ten  are  still  living,  and  their 
names  are  as  follows:  i,  Mary  Catherine,  married  the  Rev. 
B.    E.   Reed,    Rector   of  Mt.    Calvary   Protestant    Episcopal 

Church,   St.   Louis,   Mo. ; 2,  Susan   Meade,   married   the 

Rev.  William  M.  Dome,  Rector  of  Memorial  Protestant  Epis- 
copal  Church,    in    Baltimore,  Md. ; 3,    Robert    Emmett 

Funsten,  living  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.; 4,  Louisa  Cory,  married 

Col,  J.  A.  Slaughter,  and  lives  in  Galveston,  Texas ; 5,  Wil- 
liam Fitzhugh  Funsten,  living  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.; 6,  James 

Johnston  Funsten,  living  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.; 7,  Lizzie  Lee, 

married  Edwin  S.  Hinks,  a  student  in  the  Episcopal  Seminary 
near  Alexandria,  Va. ; 8,  George  Meade  Funsten,  Assist- 
ant  Rector  of  St.   Paul's   Protestant    Episcopal    Church,   in 

Richmond,  Va. ; 9,  Richard  Kidder  Funsten,  living  in  St. 

Louis,  Mo.,  and 10,   Emily  Ridgway  Funsten,  living  in 

Winchester,  Va. 

In  order  to  show  the  high  and  wide  estimation  in  which  our 
classmate  was  held,  we  quote  from  some  of  the  obituary 
notices  of  him  published  in  various  papers.  One  says  :  "  A 
life  so  marked  by  the  traits  of  gentleness,  truthfulness,  honor 
and  true  piety,  won  for  him  the  love  and  esteem  of  the  whole 
community."  Another  says :  "  His  eloquence  as  a  public 
speaker,  his  zeal  and  learning  as  a  lawyer,  his  public  spirit  as 
a  citizen,  were  all  fully  acknowledged  and  appreciated.  But 
home  was  the  scene  of  his  greatest  triumphs.     In  his  family 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  81 

he  was  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  all."  Says  another:  "In 
the  active  service  of  war,  Col.  Funsten  was  as  distinguished  for 
his  gallantry  as  he  was  for  his  firmness  in  the  peaceful  pursuits 
of  life."  ..."  That  he  would  have  risen  to  distinction,  but  for 
a  painful  wound  which  disabled  him  for  further  active  service, 
and  from  which  he  never  fully  recovered,  there  can  be  no 
question."  Still  another  says :  "  Col.  Funsten  was  a  sincere 
and  humble  Christian.  There  was  no  ostentation  in  his  faith 
or  in  his  works.  If  ever  the  spirit  of  true  religion  dwelt  in 
the  heart  and  regulated  the  actions  of  a  believer,  it  did  in  his." 
..."  From  his  death-bed  he  had  bright  glimpses  of  that  new 
Home  to  which  he  was  hastening;  and  while  exhorting  others 
to  follow  him  whither  he  was  going,  a  light  as  from  heaven 
seemed  to  irradiate  his  countenance  and  to  give  assurance  to 
his  words." 

The  Rev.  George  H.  Norton,  D.D.,  Rector  of  St.  Paul's 
Church  at  Alexandria,  for  many  years  a  warm  and  attached 
friend  of  Col.  Funsten's,  says  of  him  :  "  Remarkable  for  mod- 
esty and  courtesy,  David  Funsten  was  also  remarkable  for 
'  the  courage  of  his  convictions.'  With  hmi  opinions,  slowly 
formed,  became  principles  of  conduct.  True,  pure,  gentle, 
brave,  he  was  faithful  in  every  relation  in  life.  His  Christian 
faith  was  strong ;  it  governed  his  every  act,  cheered  him  in 
misfortune,  and  made  his  last  hours  resigned,  hopeful  and 
bright." 

JOSIAH  WILLARD  GIBBS,  A.M. 

JosiAH  WiLLARD  GiBBS  was  a  son  of  Josiah  Willard  Gibbs, 
a  merchant  of  Philadelphia,  and  of  Mrs.  Hannah  (Vanarsdall) 
Gibbs,  and  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  November  5,  18 17.  He 
entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  and  joined  the  Sophomore 
class  and  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  stoutly  built,  active  and 
prominent  on  the  play-ground,  of  fine  appearance  and  gentle- 
manly bearing.  He  was  also  a  good  writer  and  an  excellent 
speaker. 

After  his  graduation,  Mr.  Gibbs  went  into  mercantile  busi- 
ness. He  was  for  some  years  a  clerk  in  his  father's  store.  In 
6 


82  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS  OF    1 838. 

1849,  upon  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  he  sailed  for 
that  state  by  way  of  Cape  Horn,  in  the  ship  Susan  G.  Owens, 
with  a  host  of  others,  to  seek  his  fortune.  Little  is  known  of 
his  movements  after  his  arrival  in  California,  only  this,  that 
through  exposure  he  contracted  a  disease  of  which  he  died  at 
Sacramento,  Cal.,  Feb.  i,  1850,  and  was  buried  there. 
Mr,  Gibbs  was  never  married. 


JOHN  STORY  GUUCK,  A.  M.,  U.  S.  N. 

John  Story  Gulick  was  a  son  of  Jacob  Gulick  and  Mrs. 
Lydia  (Story)  Gulick,  and  was  born  at  Kingston,  (near  Prince- 
ton) N.  J.,  May  14,  18 17.  His  family  came  from  Holland  to  this 
country  about  1 50  years  ago  and  settled  at  Kingston,  where  the 
ancestors  and  immediate  relatives  of  our  classmate  have  lived 
ever  since.  He  received  his  early  education,  from  1829  to 
1835,  at  the  Lawrenceville  High  School,  under  the  Rev.  Isaac 
V.  Brown,  D.D.,  and  A.  H.  Phillips,  A.M.;  then  entered 
Princeton  College  in  1835,  joining  the  Sophomore  Class  and 
the  Whig  Society. 

Mr.  Gulick  was  very  tall  and  slender  in  person,  of  blonde 
complexion  with  hair  nearly  white,  was  graceful  and  affable  in 
manner,  regular  and  orderly  in  his  attention  to  college  duties 
and  moderately  studious. 

After  his  graduation  he  studied  medicine  for  a  time  under 
John  Woodhull,  M.  D.,  of  Princeton,  N.  J.,  but  at  the  end  of 
one  or  two  years  devoted  himself  to  the  law,  which  he  studied 
■under  James  S.  Green,  Esq.,  of  Princeton.  After  obtaining 
license  as  an  attorney  in  November,  1842,  and  as  counsel  in 
April,  1846,  he  practiced  his  profession  first  in  Princeton  and 
afterwards  in  New  York  city  until  February  i,  1851.  At  that 
•date  he  was  appointed  by  President  Fillmore  to  be  a  purser  in 
the  U.  S  Navy.  Under  that  commission  he  was  attached  to 
the  sloop-of-war  Jamestown  and  made  a  cruise  on  the  Brazil 
Station,  185  1-4;  was  on  special  duty  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
in  1855  ;  on  the  steamship  Supply  made  another  cruise  on  the 
Brazil  Station,  1855-6;  and  on  the  steam-sloop  Saranac  made 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  83 

a  cruise  on  the  Pacific  Station,  1857-9,  before  the  breaking 
out  of  the  civil  war. 

Mr.  Gulick  married,  July  7,  1854,  Miss  Elizabeth  Milligan, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Milligan,  Bookseller  and  Publisher,  of 
Georgetown,  D.  C,  and  established  his  home  in  Fauquier 
Co.,  Va. 

He  was  at  his  home  in  Virginia  when  the  war  commenced. 
He  at  once  applied  for  and  obtained  orders  for  sea  service. 
During  the  few  days  allowed  him  to  report  for  duty,  it  be- 
came evident  that  an  officer  in  the  service  of  the  United  States 
could  no  longer  safely  sojourn  in  Virginia.  He  therefore  im- 
mediately departed,  with  his  family,  leaving  his  farm  stocked, 
and  with  fine  growing  crops,  remuneration  for  which  he  never 
applied  for,  saying  he  had  no  vouchers  as  to  what  was  stolen 
or  taken  away.  Traveling  in  his  own  conveyance  by  night 
and  by  day,  and  avoiding  public  roads  and  public  places  he 
succeeded  in  reaching  and  crossing  the  Potomac  River  some 
miles  above  Washington,  only  in  time  to  escape  capture  by 
the  Confederates,  then  everywhere  assembling  under  arms. 
The  railways  betwen  Washington  and  Baltimore  having  been 
in  places  torn  up,  and  some  bridges  burned,  he  proceeded  in 
his  own  conveyance  and  thus  traveled  the  entire  distance  to 
his  native  place,  Kingston,  N.  J.  Here  leaving  his  family,  he 
at  once  reported  for  duty  on  the  "Wabash"  at  New  York 
City.  This  was  April  26,  1861.  During  the  first  month  of 
his  service  on  that  ship,  in  August,  1861,  it  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  bombardment  and  capture  of  Forts  Clark  and 
Hatteras,  at  the  mouth  of  Hatteras  Inlet,  capturing  600  pris- 
oners. Soon  after  this  event,  the  Wabash  became  the  flag- 
ship of  the  South  Atlantic  Squadron  under  the  command  of 
Flag  Officer  (afterwards  Rear  Admiral)  Dupont.  Paymaster 
Gulick  was  then  assigned  duty  as  Fleet  Paymaster  of  this 
squadron,  and  served  on  the  staff  of  Admiral  Dupont  at  the 
bombardment  and  taking  of  Forts  Walker  and  Bay  Point,  in 
the  harbor  of  Port  Royal,  S.  C,  Nov.  6,  1861. 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  Mr.  Gulick  was  detached  from  that 
squadron  and  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Navy  Yard  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  whence,  after  one  year  of  service  there,  he  was 


84  BIOGRAPHY  OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

transferred  to  the  Navy  Yard  at  Philadelphia.  He  remained 
at  the  latter  place  until  the  spring  of  1865,  when  he  was 
ordered  to  duty  as  Fleet  Paymaster  of  the  Mississippi  squadron, 
where  he  served  until  the  surrender  of  Kirby  Smith's  army 
on  the  Red  River  practically  closed  the  war.  He  was  again 
stationed  at  the  Philadelphia  Navy  Yard  in  1865;  at  the  Navy 
Yard  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  1867-8;  and  was  Fleet  Paymaster  of 
the  European  Squadron,  1869-71.  This  latter  cruise  of  two 
and  a  half  years  was  ended  by  the  return  of  the  flag-ship 
Franklin  to  the  United  States  in  1871.  On  March  3d,  of  that 
year,  he  was  promoted  by  President  Grant  to  be  a  Pay-Direc- 
tor with  the  relative  rank  of  a  Captain  in  the  Navy.  He  then 
became  Inspector  of  Provisions  and  Clothing  at  the  Washing- 
ton Navy  Yard,  1873-5  ;  and  Purchasing  Paymaster  at  Phila- 
delphia, 1877-79.  According  to  the  Act  of  Congress  retiring 
from  active  service  all  officers  who  have  attained  the  age  of 
62  years,  he  was  honorably  retired,  May  14,  1879,  f'^om  active 
service,  after  twenty-nine  years  continuously  devoted  to  his 
country. 

Thenceforth  he  lived  quietly  on  his  farm  between  Law- 
renceville  and  Princeton,  and  there  he  died  Nov.  6,  1884, 
after  an  illness  of  only  four  days.  He  left  a  widow,  but  no 
children. 

OLIVER  SPENCER  HALSTED  (2d),  A.M. 

Oliver  Spencer  Halsted  was  born  at  Elizabethtown  (now 
Elizabeth),  N.  J.,  December  7,  181 8.  His  parents  were  Oliver 
Spencer  Halsted  (Class  of  1810),  an  eminent  lawyer,  who  was 
many  years  Chancellor  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  of 
Mrs.  Mary  (Hetfield)  Halsted.  He  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  entered  Princeton 
College  at  the  winter  session  of  1835,  joining  the  Sophomore 
Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society. 

He  brought  with  him  to  college  the  familiar  name  of"  Pet" 
Halsted.  Although  small  of  stature,  he  was  remarkable  for 
physical  strength.  He  was  erect  in  stature,  and  had  a  quick, 
springy  walk.     On  the  "  .shinny  "  ground  few  excelled  him ; 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  85 

in  the  small  gymnastic  performances  of  that  day  he  was  a 
champion ;  on  "  the  pole  "  he  was  entirely  at  home,  and  in 
running  hardly  one  could  be  found  to  keep  alongside  of  him. 
In  "  dead-lifting,"  as  then  practiced  on  the  smaller  of  the  two 
cannon  lying  near  the  gate  of  the  front  Campus,  he  and  one 
other  (John  M.  Rogers,  Class  of  1837,  and  still  living  at 
Princeton)  were  the  only  students  who  could  grasp  the  knob  at 
the  butt-end  of  the  piece  and  raise  the  breech  clear  of  the 
ground.  He  was  pretty  sure  to  have  a  hand  in  every  mis- 
chievous and  hazardous  undertaking.  He  was  foremost  in 
nearly  every  thing  except  in  study  and  recitations,  and  there 
he  was  a  little  below  the  average.  He  was  an  active  member 
of  the  party  which  brought  the  large  cannon  from  "Jugtown  " 
in  the  middle  of  one  night  by  the  help  of  a  four-horse  wagon, 
and  landed  it  safely  in  the  front  Campus.  Yet  he  was  a 
genial,  kind-hearted  man,  and  a  general  favorite  with  his 
fellow-students.  He  was  slow  to  anger,  but  when  fully 
aroused  was  a  dangerous  antagonist,  being  without  personal 
fear  or  consideration. 

After  graduating,  he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  his  father  in 
Newark,  N.  J.,  receiving  his  license  as  attorney  in  1 841,  and  as 
counsellor  in  1844.  On  receiving  the  first  license  he  immedi- 
ately began  to  practice  in  Newark  and  soon  secured  a  good 
position  in  his  profession.  He  continued  to  practice  in  Newark 
until  his  death,  excepting  two  years  (1849  and  1850),  when  he 
went  to  California  via  Cape  Horn,  and  practiced  while  there. 

During  the  civil  war  of  1861-65,  Mr.  Halsted  was  zealous 
and  energetic  in  his  efforts  to  aid  the  Union  cause.  He 
worked  hard  to  aid  in  raising  regiments  in  his  native  state, 
and  spent  much  time  in  Washington,  conferring  with  the 
government,  the  military  officers,  and  members  of  Congress, 
and  is  said  to  have  made  to  them  valuable  suggestions.  He 
was  influential  in  securing  the  military  services  of  the  brave 
General  Philip  Kearny  on  his  return  from  Europe.  For  a  short 
time  he  served  as  aid  to  General  Kearny,  and  from  that  fact 
often  afterwards  received  the  sobriquet  of"  General  "  Halsted. 

He  married.  May  7,  1840,  Miss  Martha  Adela  Meeker, 
daughter  of  Mr.  Samuel   Meeker,  of  Newark,  N.  J.     He  left 


86  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

seven  children,  three  sons  and  four  daughters,  viz.:  i. 
Martha   Halsted,  married  to   Charles    Mapes,  and    living  in 

New   York    City. 2.    George    Bruce    Halsted    (Princeton 

College,  class  of    1875),    Professor    of  Mathematics    in    The 

University   of    Texas,  at  Austin,  Tex. 3.  Oliver  Spencer 

Halsted,    who     resides    in     England. 4.    Charles    John 

Halsted  (class  of  1877),  a  lawyer,  practicing  in  New  York 
City. 5.  Caroline  Halsted,  unmarried. 6.  Duxy  Hal- 
sted, married  to  Dr.  Julius  Rudisch,  and  living  in  New  York 

City. 7.    Kitty  Halsted,  married    to   Herbert    Armitage, 

and  lives  in  New  York  City. 

Under  circumstances  most  sad  and  painful  to  his  family 
and  friends,  he  died  suddenly,  July  2,  1871,  by  a  pistol  shot 
fired  by  an  infuriated  man,  who  was  convicted  and  executed 
for  the  murder. 


WILLIAM  MURRAY  HOLLYDAY,  ESQ. 

William  Murray  Hollyday,  son  of  Henry  and  Mrs. 
Ann  (Carmichael)  Hollyday,  was  born  at  Ratcliffe,  near  Eas- 
ton,  Talbot  County,  Md ,  January  2,  1818.  His  preparatory 
education  was  received  at  St.  Michael's,  in  his  native  county, 
under  the  Rev.  Joseph  Spencer,  D.D.  He  entered  the 
Sophomore  Class  at  Princeton  College  in  1835,  and  became 
a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  a  quiet,  orderly, 
unobtrusive,  amiable  and  gentlemanly  young  man,  and  was 
studious  in  his  habits,  standing  eighteenth  in  his  final  grade 
among  the  seventy-five  members  of  his  class. 

On  leaving  College  he  at  once  entered  on  the  study  of 
law,  under  Richard  B.  Carmichael,  Esq.,  of  Centreville,  Queen 
Anne  County,  Md. ;  was  licensed  in  1841,  and  from  that 
date  practiced  at  Cumberland,  Md.,  until  185 1.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Easton,  Md.,  where  he  continued  to  practice  until 
1859,  when  he  settled  on  his  farm,  called  "  Glenwood,"  near 
Easton,  where  he  quietly  resided  until  he  died  of  pleurisy, 
after  an  illness  of  one  week,  on  December  5,  1880. 

Mr.  Hollyday  represented  Allegheny   County  in  the  State 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  8/ 

Constitutional  Convention  of  1850.  He  was  Auditor  of  the 
Circuit  Court,  Commissioner  of  Public  Schools  for  Talbot 
County  and  a  Commissioner  in  Chancery.  He  connected 
himself  with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  1864,  and  at 
the  time  of  his  death  was  Treasurer  and  a  vestryman  in 
Christ  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  at  Easton. 

He  married,  January  6,  1852,  Miss  Louisa  Powell,  daughter 
of  Col.  Humphrey  B.  Powell,  of  Middleburg,  Loudoun  Co., 
Va.,  a  cousin  of  her  husband's  college  classmate.  Dr.  Elisha 
B.  Pendleton.  She  still  lives  at  the  late  residence  of  her 
deceased  husband.  Mr.  Hollyday  left  six  children,  viz. : 
I.  Ann,  married  to  Francis  Clarke,  now  living  in  Brooklyn, 

N.  Y. 2.   Rosalie,  married  to  Mr.  J.  B.  Bocock,  now  living 

at  Houston,  Texas. 3.  H.  B.    Powell  Hollyday,  living  in 

Easton,   Md. 4.    Louisa  Virginia,   married   to    Levin   H. 

Campbell,  and    living   in  Washington,  D.  C. 5.    Thomas 

Robins  Hollyday,  now  in  the  U.  S.  Army,  and 6.  Car- 

michael  Hollyday,  living  with  his  mother  near  Easton,  Md. 

One  of  Mr.  Hollyday's  neighbors  in  Maryland  writes  of  him 
thus:  "A  devout  Christian,  an  accomplished  gentleman,  a  pure 
and  useful  citizen.  He  was  loving  and  kind  in  his  family,  and 
in  friendship  faithful  and  true.  He  served  both  the  church 
and  the  state  with  unsullied  probity  and  tireless  diligence,  and 
commanded  the  confidence  of  all." 


WILLL\M  HENRY  HORNBLOWER,  A.M.,  D.D. 

William  Henry  Hornblower,  son  of  the  Hon.  Joseph 
Courten  Hornblower,  LL.D.,  for  many  years  Chief  Justice  of 
New  Jersey,  and  of  Mrs.  Mary  (Burnett)  Hornblower,  was  born 
at  Newark,  N.  J.,  March  21,  1820;  and  was  prepared  for 
college  at  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  under  the  instruction  of  the  Rev. 
John  T.  Halsey.  He  entered  Princeton  College  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Sophomore  year,  in  1835,  and  became  a  member 
of  the  Cliosophic  Society. 

In  stature  he  was  one  of  the  smallest  and  lightest  of  all  the 
students,  whence,  by  the  law  of  contraries  so  often  adopted  in 


88  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

college,  he  was  generally  known  as  "  Major."  He  was  bright, 
cheerful,  gentle,  amiable,  fond  of  fun,  warmly  attached  to  his 
friends  and  warmly  loved  by  them.  He  was  also  methodical, 
regular  in  attending  to  all  college  duties,  and  studious. 

After  leaving  college  he  spent  one  year  in  the  study  of  law, 
at  Newark,  under  the  instruction  of  the  Hon.  Theodore  Fre- 
linghuysen,  LL.D.,  and  of  the  Hon.  A.  C.  M.  Pennington. 
At  nineteen  years  of  age  he  united  with  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Newark,  and  determined  to  devote  himself  to  the 
work  of  the  gospel  ministry.  He  accordingly  soon  after- 
wards entered  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  spent  over 
three  years  there  and  was  graduated  in  1843;  labored  as  a 
missionary  at  Tom's  River  and  that  vicinity  in  the  "  Pines  of 
New  Jersey,"  from  May,  1843,  to  November,  1843;  ^^^  or- 
dained by  the  Presbytery  of  Elizabethtown,  N.  J.,  January  30, 
1844,  and  installed  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  at 
Paterson,  N.  J.,  the  same  day.  There  he  remained,  honored, 
beloved  and  useful  until  released  October  i,  1871,  in  order  to 
his  acceptance  of  the  Union  Professorship  of  Sacred  Rhetoric, 
Church  Government  and  Pastoral  Theology  in  the  Western 
Theological  Seminary  at  Allegheny,  Pa.,  which  office  he  held 
with  high  honor  and  great  usefulness  until  released  from  all 
cares  and  earthly  duties  by  death,  July  16,  1883.  He  was 
seized  with  his  last  illness  in  the  pulpit.  On  Sabbath,  May 
20,  1883,  the  Bellefield  Church,  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  to  which 
he  was  preaching,  was  startled  by  his  sudden  prostration  from 
an  attack  of  paralysis.  Under  skilful  medical  treatment  and 
careful  nursing  he  appeared  at  length  to  be  slowly  recovering, 
but  afterward  suffered  a  relapse  and  entered  into  rest  on  the 
day  above  mentioned,  in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age.  His 
remains  were  buried  at  Paterson,  N.  J. 

Dr.  Hornblower  was  a  Christian  gentleman  in  the  highest 
sense  of  the  term.  The  law  of  his  lips  was  courtesy.  No  one 
ever  knew  him  to  do  an  unworthy  act.  His  sympathies  were 
strong,  fresh  and  natural.  His  was  a  sincere  and  faithful 
friendship  worth  the  having.  It  was  loving,  bright,  genial. 
As  a  preacher  he  was  biblical,  argumentative,  earnest  and 
instructive.     As  a  pastor  he  was  sympathetic,  laborious  and 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  89 

successful.  In  the  Presbytery,  the  Synod  and  the  General 
Assembly  he  took  an  active  and  a  judicious  part  in  their  pro- 
ceedings. As  a  Professor  he  excelled,  conscientiously  and 
earnestly  discharging  his  important  duties. 

Dr.  Hornblower  was  married  at  Sufifield,  Conn.,  June  17, 
1846,  to  Miss  Matilda  A.  Butler,  daughter  of  Asa  Butler,  Esq. 
She,  with  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  survived  him  and  still 
live.  His  children  are:  i.  Joseph  Courten  Hornblower, 
architect,  in  Washington,  D.  C. 2.  William  Butler  Horn- 
blower, Esq.  (Class  of  1871),  a  lawyer,  married  and  has  three 

children,  residing  in  New  York  City,  and 3.   Helen,  wife 

of  Eugene  Stevenson  and  living  at  Paterson,  N.  J. 

In  i860  Dr.  Hornblower  received  the  honorary  title  of  D.D. 
from  Rutgers  College,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  From  1864  to 
1 87 1  he  was  a  Trustee  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey. 

Dr.  Hornblower  published  many  sermons,  addresses  etc., 
but  he  was  singularly  indifferent  to  his  own  personal  reputa- 
tion as  a  writer,  and  it  is  found  impossible  to  obtain  a  full  list 
of  them.  The  following,  however,  are  known  to  the  writer : 
I.  "A  Sermon  on  The  War."      1861.     Delivered  and  printed 

at  Paterson,  N.  J. 2.  "  The  Duty  of  The  General  Assembly 

to  The  Churches  under  its  care."     1861.     Printed  at  Paterson. 

3.    "A    Sermon    Occasioned   by   The    Assassination    of 

President  Lincoln."  1865.  Delivered  and  printed  at  Pater- 
son.  4.  "  Inaugural  Address  on  Assuming  his  Professor- 
ship in  Allegheny  Theological  Seminary."     1 87 1.    Pittsburgh. 

5.   He   was    one   of   the    Sub-Editors    in    preparing    the 

American  Edition  of  "  Lange's  Commentaries,"  his  portion  of 
the  work  being  the  Book  of  Lamentations. 6.  He  con- 
tributed a  "  History  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey"  to  the 
"  Princeton  Book,"  published  by  Houghton,  Osgood  &  Co., 
in  1879. 

JOHN   SIMS  JACKSON. 

John  Sims  Jackson  was  a  son  of  John  Jackson.  His  mother 
was  a  Miss  Sims.  The  early  life  of  this  classmate  is  wrapped 
in  great  uncertainty,  which  the  most  persistent  efforts  have 


90  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

failed  to  remove.  His  father  was  probably  reared  in  New 
York  City,  and  removed  to  Virginia  in  early  manhood.  He 
is  said  to  have  married  a  Miss  Sims  at  Danville,  Va.,  where 
John  S.  Jackson,  the  son,  was  born  about  the  year  1819. 
After  the  death  of  the  mother  and  six  younger  children,  the 
father  and  his  son,  John  S.,  removed  to  Eufaula,  Alabama.  It 
ought  to  be  said,  however,  that  earnest  inquiries  made  of  sev- 
eral of  the  older  residents  of  Danville  have  obtained  no  posi- 
tive information  on  the  above  points. 

John  S.  Jackson  attended  school  first  at  Eufaula,  and  after- 
wards at  Clayton,  Ala.  He  came  to  Princeton  in  1835,  and 
entered  the  Sophomore  Class  and  the  Clio  Society.  He  was 
a  cripple,  "a  victim  of  synovitis  at  some  time  in  earlier  life, 
leaving  him  a  contracted  leg  and  a  stiff  knee-joint.  He  used 
one  crutch,  and  he  did  use  that  with  remarkable  agility."  He 
had  dark  eyes  and  white  hair,  was  active,  humorous,  sociable, 
excitable  and  fairly  studious,  taking  a  final  grade  above  the 
class  average. 

After  his  graduation  he  studied  law  at  Clayton,  Ala.,  under 
Calvin  Rist,  Esq.  (now  deceased),  of  that  place,  but  died  there 
in  July,  1840,  of  inflammatory  rheumatism,  without  having 
been  admitted  to  the  bar.     He  was  never  married. 

The  following  is  part  of  a  letter  kindly  sent  to  the  writer  in 
answer  to  inquiries  by  the  Hon.  John  A.  Foster,  Chancellor 
of  Alabama,  residing  at  Clayton.     He  writes  : 

"John  Jackson  (the  father)  came  to  Eufaula,  Ala.,  and  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits.  He  came  from  the  Northern  or  Middle  States,  and 
was  a  widower  with  a  young  son.  A  year  or  two  later  he  removed  to 
Clayton.  Nothing  is  now  known  here  as  to  the  mother  of  your  class- 
mate. His  father  married  in  Clayton  a  Miss  Lewis,  and  about  that 
time  sent  his  son  to  Princeton.  As  soon  as  the  son  was  graduated,  he 
returned  to  Clayton  and  read  law  in  the  office  of  Calvin  Rist,  Esq.  He 
was  a  jolly  and  lively  youth,  and  it  is  said  of  him  that  he  could  dance 
with  his  crutches.  He  was  very  popular  with  the  people,  and  was  a 
good  student.  His  father  was  not  indulgent  to  him.  I  am  not  able  to 
ascertain  the  precise  time  of  his  death.  The  few  who  now  remember 
him  say  that  he  died,  some  one  year,  others  two  years  after  his  return 
from  Princeton.  His  remains  are  buried  in  the  Masonic  Cemetery. 
There  is  no  monument  or  epitaph  over  them.  I  have  often  stood  over 
his  grave,  and  wondered  why  there  should  have  been  such  a  career 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  91 

and  such  a  fate.  Those  who  yet  remain  and  who  knew  him  remember 
him  as  John  S.  Jackson,  the  sprightly,  crippled,  educated  son  of  'old 
John  Jackson.*  " 

ANDREW  SIMPSON  JAMISON,  A.  M. 

Andrew  Simpson  Jamison  was  a  son  of  James  Jamison,  a 
farmer,  and  Mrs.  Ann  (Simpson)  Jamison  ;  was  born  in  Buck- 
ingham Township,  Bucks  Co.,  Pa.,  Feb.  5,  1818;  and  was 
prepared  for  college  by  his  pastor,  the  Rev.  P.  O.  Studdi- 
ford.  D.D.,  of  Lambertville,  N.  J. 

He  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  at  Princeton  College  in 
the  fall  of  1835,  and  joined  the  Clio  Society.  He  was  a  little 
above  the  average  height  and  slender  in  person ;  steady,  grave 
and  orderly  in  his  demeanor,  irreproachable  in  his  habits  and 
morals,  gentle  and  pleasing  in  his  manners.  Regular  and 
studious,  he  took  the  19th  grade  of  his  class  at  graduation. 

His  life  was  devoted  to  teaching,  and  of  the  years  his  health 
allowed  him  to  devote  to  this  work,  five  were  spent  in  private 
femilies  in  Virginia.  While  in  that  state  he  united,  in  1841, 
with  the  Bethesda  Presbyterian  Church  at  Richardsville,  Cul- 
pepper Co.  He  also  taught  two  years  in  the  Academy  at 
Cheraw,  S.  C,  and  two  other  years  in  Augusta,  Ga.  In  1846, 
having  a  desire  to  enter  the  Gospel  ministry,  he  became  a 
student  in  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  but  owing  to 
failure  of  health  and  a  partial  loss  of  eyesight,  was  very  soon 
compelled  to  relinquish  his  studies.  On  the  restoration  of  his 
health  he  taught  for  two  years  in  the  Academy  at  Trenton, 
N.  J.  He  then  returned,  owing  to  a  second  failure  of  his 
health  to  the  home  of  his  childhood  in  Bucks  Co.,  Pa.,  and 
there  spent  quietly  but  usefully  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

For  many  of  his  later  years  Mr.  Jamison  was  president  of 
the  School  Boards  of  Buckingham  and  Upper  Wakefield 
Townships  in  Bucks  Co  Oct.  18,  1868,  he  became  a  rul- 
ing elder  in  Solebury  (now  called  Thompson  Memorial)  Pres- 
byterian Church,  and  continued  to  fill  that  office  until  his 
death,  which  occurred,  from  an  attack  of  pneumonia  at 
Brownsburg,  Bucks  Co.,  Pa.,  March  20,  1883.  His  death  was 
calm,  peaceful  and  happy. 


92  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Mr.  Jamison  was  ever  a  dutiful  son,  and  a  kind  and  affec- 
tionate brother.  He  filled  various  positions  of  trust  with  an 
unblemished  reputation.  "  His  urbane  manners,"  says  his 
pastor,  "  won  him  the  highest  esteem.  He  was  a  man  of 
firm  and  decided  views,  and  of  clear  judgment,  cautious  in 
reaching  a  conclusion,  and  careful  in  the  expression  of  his 
opinions.  He  was  well  read  in  the  current  literature  of  the 
day.  As  a  Biblical  scholar  he  was  thorough  and  sound." 
"  He  was  an  excellent  man,"  says  another  minister  of  Bucks 
County,  "  was  widely  known  in  his  part  of  the  county,  and 
was  greatly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  often  at- 
tended the  meetings  of  Presbytery  as  a  representative  of  his 
church,  and  was  highly  esteemed  by  the  associated  ministers 
and  elders.".    He  was  never  married. 


CAPT.  WILLIAM  HENRY  JEMISON. 

William  Henry  Jemison,  son  of  William  and  Sarah 
(Mims)  Jemison,  was  born  March  4,  1820,  at  Edenton,  Ga., 
but  removed  with  his  parents  to  Alabama  before  he  was  two 
years  old,  and  thenceforward  resided  at  Tuscaloosa  in  that 
State.  He  was  prepared  for  college  under  the  instructions  of 
the  Rev.  Robert  B.  McMullin,  afterwards  a  distinguished 
Presbyterian  clergyman  of  Tennessee. 

Mr.  Jemison  entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  joining  the 
Freshman  Class  in  its  second  session,  and  becoming  a  Clio. 
From  a  little  incident  which  occurred  soon  after,  he  became 
familiarly  known  as  "  Heights  "  Jemison  all  through  his 
course.  He  was  warm-hearted,  genial,  a  hearty  laugher,  a 
capital  story-teller,  very  companionable,  every  way  "  a  good 
fellow  "  and  heartily  loved  by  everybody.  For  the  sketch 
that  follows  we  are  indebted  to  his  son,  William  C.  Jemison, 
Esq.,  of  Tuscaloosa,  who  kindly  sent  it  in  answer  to  our  re- 
quest : 

"  My  father  was  the  first  Alabamian,  so  far  as  I  know,  who  ever  en- 
tered Princeton  College.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  years  he  took  the  trip  to 
Princeton  alone,  going  nearly  all  the  way  by  stage-coach  or  private 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  93 

conveyance,  being  eleven  days  and  nights  on  the  road.  This  was  in 
the  days  when  railroads  were  unknown  south  of  Philadelphia.  A  part 
of  his  journey  lay  through  the  Creek  Indian  Nation,  which  gave  a 
thrilling  interest  to  the  young  boy's  travels. 

"  After  leaving  College  he  studied  law  something  more  than  a  year, 
under  Judge  B.  F.  Porter,  in  Tuscaloosa.  Afterwards  he  studied  a  short 
time  in  Huntsville,  Ala.,  under  that  distinguished  lawyer.  Col.  James  W. 
McClung.  He  never  applied,  however,  for  license  to  practice  law,  but 
engaged  in  planting.  For  many  years  he  was  considered  the  best 
farmer  in  Tuscaloosa  County.  The  training  he  received  at  college 
doubtless  gave  an  intelligence  to  his  farming  operations  superior  to  that 
of  his  neighbors.  As  a  planter,  he  was  eminently  successful,  and  but 
for  the  war  would  probably  have  accumulated  a  large  fortune. 

"  My  father  entered  the  army  in  the  first  year  of  the  civil  war,  as 
captain  Qi  a  volunteer  company,  and  the  same  year  was  elected  to  the 
lower  house  of  the  Alabama  Legislature,  in  which  he  sat  two  years, 
1861  and  1862.  While  a  member  of  the  legislative  General  Assembly 
he  volunteered  again,  and  assisted  in  raising  a  cavalry  company,  in 
which  he  was  elected  a  Lieutenant.  He  remained  in  the  field  service 
nine  months,  but  on  account  of  the  loss  of  one  eye,  he  was  appointed 
Captain  and  Quarter-master  at  Tuscaloosa,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war. 

"In  1872  he  was  chosen  to  fill  the  Chair  of  Practical  Agriculture  in 
The  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College  of  Alabama,  located  at  Au- 
burn, in  the  first  year  of  its  organization.  When  that  chair  was  abol- 
ished, for  want  of  funds,  he  was  elected  Quarter-master  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Alabama,  with  the  title  of  captain,  which  position  he  filled  ten 
years,  1872-82. 

"  Before  the  civil  war  he  was  a  Whig  in  politics,  and  took  a  lively  in- 
terest in  the  questions  of  the  day.  But  preferring  the  quiet  and  inde- 
pendent life  of  a  planter,  he  frequently  refused  public  office,  and  his 
first  effort  at  political  speaking  was  after  he  had  reached  the  age  of 
forty  years.  His  maiden  speech  was  made  in  favor  of  co-operation  and 
against  immediate  secession. 

"  In  his  twentieth  year  he  contracted  a  neuralgic  affection,  which  has 
caused  him  much  suffering.  But  his  general  health  has  always  been 
good,  and  few  men  at  his  age  are  blessed  with  a  more  vigorous  consti- 
tution. His  residence  is  at  Birmingham,  Ala.,  and  though  advanced 
in  years,  he  insists  upon  leading  a  busy  life,  and  is  now  engaged  in 
building  up  a  most  beautiful  suburban  resort  near  the  city  of  Birming- 
ham. He  lives  in  a  comfortable  home  that  overlooks  East  Lake,  the 
largest  artificial  body  of  water  in  the  State.  In  this  picturesque  and 
healthful  place  he  is  happy  and  contented,  with  his  affectionate  children 
and  grandchildren  in  close  proximity  to  him,  and  with  his  noble  good 
wife  still  with  him.  And  here  he  intends  spending  the  remaining  days 
of  his  useful  life. 


94  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

"  He  married  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  October  23,  1839,  Elizabeth  Arman- 
tine  Patrick,  of  Tuscaloosa,  daughter  of  Mr.  Isaac  Patrick.  She  is  still 
living.  He  has  had  nine  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  infancy.  The 
other  eight  are:   i.  Virginia  Ann,  a  noble  woman,  who  died  in  1883, 

unmarried. 2.  Sarah  Elizabeth,  married  John  Catlin    Cade,  and  is 

now  a  widow  with  two  children,  residing  in  Tuscaloosa. 3.  Mar- 
garet,   married  William   J.    Prowell,    and   lives   at    Dayton,   Marengo 

County,   Ala. 4.  Mary   Gabriella,    married   John   W.    Riddell,   and 

lives  in  Galveston,   Tex. 5.    William    C.  Jemison,    married  EUsha 

Leftwich.     He  is  a  lawyer,  and  lives  in  Tuscaloosa  [of  which  city  he  is 

Mayor]. 6.  Robert  Jemison,  married  Eugenia  R.  Sousby.     He  is  a 

merchant,  and  lives  in  Birmingham,  Ala. 7,  John  Steele  Jemison,  a 

lawyer,  married  Margie  Allen,  and  lives   in    Birmingham,  Ala. 8. 

Mims  Penn  Jemison,  a  merchant,  married  Lela  Lee,  and  lives  in  Tus- 
caloosa. 

"  My  father  is  now  nearly  '  three-score  and  ten.'  On  October  23, 
1889,  if  all  our  lives  be  spared  until  then,  he  will  celebrate  his  golden 
wedding,  with  seven  children  and  eighteen  grandchildren  around  him. 
Many  years  ago  he  was  confirmed  as  a  communicant  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  and  is  still  an  active  adherent  to  '  the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints.'  Through  a  long  and  useful  life  he  has  always 
commanded  the  esteem  and  kind  regard  of  those  among  whom  he 
lived,  by  his  unswerving  devotion  to  right  and  his  liberal  hand  in  dis- 
pensing to  the  relief  of  the  needy  and  the  suffering.  As  a  husband,  he 
has  been  devoted ;  as  a  father,  kind  and  affectionate.'' 

It  was  one  of  the  best  of  the  many  enjoyments  of  our 
happy  class-meeting  on  June  20,  1888,  to  welcome  Mr.  Jemi- 
son among  us,  and  to  find  that  he  still  possessed  in  their  old 
vigor,  all  the  pleasant  traits  which  made  us  love  him  so  well 
fifty  years  ago.  If  we  shut  our  eyes  and  listened  to  his  talk 
and  his  laugh,  we  seemed  to  have  gone  back  fifty-three 
years,  and  to  be  with  our  early  Freshman  and  Sophomore 
friend  "Heights"  Jemison  once  more.  We  appointed  him  to 
represent  the  class  by  making  a  speech  for  it  at  the  College 
Alumni  Dinner  in  University  Hall,  and  he  did  it  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  the  class  and  of  all  his  hearers. 

May  he  and  all  his,  have  a  happy  golden  wedding ! 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  95 


REV.  DANIEL  JOHNSON,  A.M. 

Daniel  Johnson  was  born  November  5,  18 13,  in  Robeson 
County,  N.  C.  His  parents  were  Alexander  and  Margaret 
(Steven)  Johnson.  His  preparation  for  college  was  made, 
first  at  Beaver  Creek  Academy,  some  fifteen  miles  from 
Fayetteville,  N.  C,  under  Archibald  C.  Currie,  and  later  at  the 
Donaldson  Academy  at  Fayetteville,  under  the  Rev.  Simeon 
Colton,  D.D.  Under  these  two  faithful  teachers,  and  by  his 
own  diligence,  was  laid  the  foundation  of  that  broad  and 
thorough  scholarship  for  which  he  was  afterwards  deservedly 
distinguished.  In  the  fall  of  1835  he  and  his  brother,  James 
Steven,  went  to  Yale  College,  and  entered  the  Freshman  class. 
They  remained  there  only  one  session,  then  came  to  Princeton 
and  entered  (one  class  higher)  the  second  session  of  the 
Sophomore  year.  At  the  same  time  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Whig  Society. 

When  Daniel  Johnson  entered  our  class  he  was  by  several 
years  older  than  any  of  its  members  save  one  or  two,  and 
was  more  matured  in  character,  in  judgment  and  in  scholar- 
ship than  were  his  classmates.  He  was  grave,  thoughtful 
meditative,  always  a  devout,  consistent,  modest,  unassuming, 
unselfish,  kind-hearted  Christian  man.  No  college  duty  was 
ever  neglected.  No  recitation  was  ever  imperfectly  prepared. 
He  came  out,  at  the  end  of  the  course,  with  the  highest 
grade  of  the  class  and  delivered  its  Latin  Salutatory. 

After  graduating  with  such  high  distinction,  he  went  to 
Mississippi  and  taught  two  years  in  a  private  family.  He 
then  received  the  appointment  of  Tutor  in  Princeton  College, 
and  filled  that  position  four  years,  1840-44.  At  the  same 
time,  having  entered  the  Theological  Seminary,  he  passed 
through  its  regular  course  of  three  years,  was  graduated  in 
1843,  ^ri^  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick,  April  26,  1843.  He  was  ordained  by  the  Presby- 
tery of  Fayetteville  some  time  in  the  fall  of  1845.  ^'^  the 
year  1844  he  returned  to  his  native  State,  and  became  Princi- 
pal  of  Cumberland  Academy,  at  the   same  time  filling  the 


96  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

pulpit  of  Mt.  Pisgah  Presbyterian  Church  as  stated  supply, 
1844-47.  He  then  became  Principal  of  Donaldson  Academy 
at  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  for  eight  years,  1848-56,  at  the  same 
time  preaching  as  stated  supply  to  the  two  churches  of  Bar- 
becue and  Galatea.  In  1858  he  became  Principal  of  Floral 
College,  N.  C,  and  continued  to  hold  that  position  until  1865, 
at  the  same  time  supplying  the  churches  at  Laurinburgh  and 
Lebanon  in  that  vicinity.  This  was  his  last  field  of  labor. 
He  died  at  his  residence  near  Floral  College,  N.  C,  March  7, 
1868,  of  bronchial  consumption. 

About  the  first  day  of  July,  1844,  Mr.  Johnson  married 
Eliza  Matilda  Gulick,  daughter  of  John  Gulick,  Esq.,  of 
Kingston,  near  Princeton,  N.  J.,  a  very  estimable  and  lovely 
lady,  who  survived  him  but  a  short  time.  They  left  two 
daughters  and  three  sons,  viz.  :  i.  Laura,  who  married  Thomas 
Cook,  and  died  about  1871. 2.  William  Dalrymple  John- 
son, who  lives  in   Greenville,  Texas. 3.    James   Edward 

Johnson,  married  Miss   Hetty  Fort,  and   lives  at   Fair  Bluff, 

N.  C. 4.  Alice,  who  was  the  adopted  daughter  of  the  Rev. 

J.  Leighton  Wilson,  D.D.,  and  now  lives  with  her  uncle,  John 
Wiley  Gulick,  M.D.,  at  Corsicana,  Texas. 5.  Thomas  Chal- 
mers, married  a  Miss  Harrison,  and  lives  at  Greenville,  Texas. 

His  brother,  Hon.  William  D.  Johnson,  of  Marion,  S.  C. 
(Class  of  1843),  writes  of  him:  "I  have  always  thought  my 
brother's  bad  health  was  caused  by  overwork.  He  taught 
almost  constantly,  and  was  at  the  same  time  acting  pastor  of 
two  churches  some  20  miles  apart.  He  was  as  purely  unsel- 
fish as  any  person  I  ever  knew,  and  never  seemed  to  be  happy 
unless  employed  for  the  benefit  of  others.  He  did  a  great 
deal  to  advance  higher  education  in  North  Carolina.  His  last 
days  were  just  such  as  you  might  expect  from  a  life  devoted 
to  duty — full  of  resignation  to  his  Father's  will,  and  entirely 
satisfied  that  there  was  a  crown  awaiting  him  above." 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  97 


GEORGE  CROW  JONES,  A.M.  M.D. 

George  Crow  Jones  was  the  son  of  George  Jones  and  Mrs. 
Jane  Ochiltree  Jones,  and  was  born  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  Oc- 
tober 8,  1817.  He  was  finally  prepared  for  college  at  the 
school  of  the  Rev.  John  T.  Halsey,  at  Elizabethtown,  N.  J., 
and  entered  the  Junior  Class  at  Princeton  College  in  1836, 
becoming  also  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  a 
young  man  of  medium  size ;  of  quiet,  unpretending,  pleasing, 
and  gentlemanly  manners ;  and  was  orderly,  good,  true,  and 
attentive  to  all  his  college  duties. 

After  graduating,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  medi- 
cine, and  received  his  medical  diploma  in  1842,  from  Jefferson 
Medical  College,  in  Philadelphia.  He  first  practiced  medicine 
at  Massillon,  Ohio,  for  two  or  three  years.  His  next  location 
was  in  his  native  State,  where  he  was  offered  practice  at  Du- 
pont's  Powder  Mills,  on  the  Brandywine  Creek,  about  five 
miles  from  Wilmington.  In  1857  he  removed  to  Sharpsburg, 
Mo.,  where  he  practiced  two  years,  going  thence  in  1859  to 
Palmyra,  the  nearest  town  of  any  considerable  size.  While 
he  was  residing  there,  the  civil  war  broke  out  in  1861,  when 
he  at  once  offered  his  professional  services  for  the  good  of  his 
country,  and  was  appointed  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  Third 
Missouri  Cavalry  Regiment.  In  the  second  year  of  the  war 
this  regiment  was  ordered  to  Southwestern  Missouri,  and 
while  in  that  swampy  and  malarial  region,  with  impure  water 
and  unwholesome  food,  his  health  gave  way  and  he  resigned 
his  position.  After  a  severe  and  dangerous  illness,  from  the 
effects  of  which  he  never  fully  recovered,  he  removed  with 
his  family  to  Chicago,  111.  In  Chicago  he  resided  eight  years, 
returning  to  Missouri  in  1870,  and  settling  in  Monroe  City, 
Monroe  County,  Mo ,  where  he  passed  the  remaining  ten 
years  of  his  life,  and  where  he  died  suddenlj^,  February  27, 
1 88 1,  of  paralysis  of  the  brain,  induced  by  Bright's  Disease  of 
the  Kidneys. 

Dr.  Jones   married,   April   22,    1 851,    Miss    Caroline   Ash 
Scheetz,   youngest  daughter   of  the    Rev.    George    Scheetz, 
7 


98  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Rector  of  St.  Mark's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  at  Frank- 
ford,  Pa.     She  died  three  years  after  her  husband. 

They  had  four  children,  all  still  living,  viz :  Maria  May, 
married  John  H.  McClintic,  of  Virginia,  and  lives  at  Monroe 

City,    Missouri; 2,  Henrietta    Ord,    unmarried,   showing 

marked  ability  as  an  artist,  and  is  a  student  in  The  St.  Louis 

School  of  Fine  Arts ; 3,  Elizabeth  Scheetz,    married  to 

John  J,  Rogers,  of  Virginia,  now  a  merchant  of  Monroe  City, 
Mo. 4,  Frederick  Scheetz,  born  at  Palmyra,  Mo ,  a  grad- 
uate of  Yale  College,  Class  of  1881,  a  man  of  high  promise; 
for  two  years  Professor  of  Physics  in  the  State  University  of 
Minnesota,  at  Minneapolis,  which  position  he  resigned  for  the 
sake  of  further  pursuing  his  studies  at  the  University  of 
Berlin,  Germany. 

Dr  Jones  was  for  many  years  a  devout  member  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  and  a  Sabbath-School  Superin- 
tendent. He  was  not  only  a  faithful  Christian,  but  a  good 
physician,  doing  all  the  good  in  his  power  around  his  home. 
He  was  beloved  and  honored  by  all  who  knew  him  as  a 
courtly,  finished  gentleman,  a  ripened  scholar,  and  an  upright, 
honorable  man. 

"  To  the  last,"  writes  one  of  his  daughters,  "  he  dearly  loved 
his  Alma  Mater,  and  to  chance  to  meet  any  of  his  classmates 
was  a  source  of  unmixed  delight  to  him.  His  associations 
with  Dr.  J.  V.  Z.  Blaney,  when  they  were  both  living  in  Chi- 
cago, were  extremely  pleasant,  and  they  discussed  with  keen 
relish  their  old  college  days." 


ABRAHAM  FAW  LEONARD,  A.M.,  ESQ. 

Abraham  Faw  Leonard,  son  of  Jacob  and  Sophia  Eliza- 
beth (Faw)  Leonard,  was  born  at  Washington,  D.  C,  January 
1 1,  1820,  but  removed  to  Alexandria,  Va.,  in  his  early  years. 
His  preparation  for  college  was  acquired  mainly  under  the 
Rev.  Enoch  M.  Lowe,  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  and  the  Rev.  George 
Halson.  He  entered  the  College  at  Newark,  Del.,  but  did 
not  remain  there  long.     He  went  to  Princeton  College  early 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  99 

in  1836,  joined  the  Sophomore  Class  near  the  end  of  its 
year,  and  became  a  Clio.  He  was  under  the  average  size  and 
of  slight  build,  quiet  in  his  manner,  and  a  faithful  student, 
graduating  with  the  fourteenth  grade  of  his  class. 

After  graduating,  he  studied  law  under  William  F.  Sharp, 
Esq.,  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  and  after  receiving  license  practiced  his 
profession  in  that  city  until  1854.  For  some  years  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  of  Virginia.  For  several  years 
prior  >  to  i860  he  was  editor  of  "The  Southern  Argus','  a 
newspaper  published  at  Norfolk,  in  which  work  he  exhibited 
signal  ability.  In  1857  he  fell  through  a  trap  door  left  open 
on  the  street,  broke  his  kneepan,  was  lamed  and  walked  on 
crutches  for  ten  or  twelve  years,  suffering  greatly,  but  pa- 
tiently. His  lameness  prevented  his  taking  any  active  part  in 
the  civil  war.  He  is  said  by  a  Norfolk  lawyer  who  knew  him 
well  to  have  been  "  a  capital  lawyer,  but  did  not  take  high 
rank  as  a  speaker.  He  was  a  very  superior  writer.  A  series 
of  articles  he  published  on  the  yellow  fever  were  grand.  And 
he  was  a  good  poet;  was  a  man  of  great  cultivation  and  much 
genius,  but  of  weak  health.  The  latter  part  oi  his  life  was 
inactive.  Up  to  about  1854  he  owned  considerable  property, 
but  lost  nearly  all  by  unprofitable  investments."  He  died  at 
Alexandria,  Va.,  December  27,  1870.  He  had  been  reared  in 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  but  was  never  a  member  of 
any  church. 

Mr.  Leonard  was  thrice  married:    i.  To  Virginia,  daughter 

of  the  late  Thomas  Talbot,  Esq.,  of  Norfolk,  Va. 2d,  To 

Miss   Louisa    Dickson,  sister  of  Richard    Dickson,  Esq.,  of 

Norfolk,  and  of  Mrs,  Tazewell   Taylor. 3d.  To  Caroline 

Davis,  daughter  of  General  Joseph  H.  Davis  and  niece  of  the 
widely-known  Jefferson  Davis,  of  Mississippi.  She  survived 
him  and  still  lives  in  Norfolk,     No  child  survived  him. 

THEODORE  LITTLE,  A.M.,  ESQ. 

Theodore  Little  was  born  at  Hackettstown,  N.  J., 
February  29,  18 19.  His  parents  were  William  Little  and 
Susannah  (Sherrerd)  Little.    Our  classmate  says  of  his  parents ; 


100  BIOGRAPHY  OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

"  My  father  was,  I  believe,  a  Scotch  Irishman,  and  President 
McCosh  told  my  son  Stephen  when  introduced  to  him,  that 
he  had  known  '  some  very  respectable  people  of  that  name  in 
Ireland.'  My  mother  died  in  my  infancy  and  my  father  in 
1 824.  My  father's  second  wife  was  Mary  Morford,  of  Princeton, 
N.  J.,  a  relative  of  Prof  John  S.  Hart's  wife.  What  I  am,  I 
owe  mainly  to  my  step-mother,  who  was  all  to  me  that  a 
mother  could  have  been." 

He  was  prepared  for  college  at  the  Hackettstown  School  of 
which  Joseph  McCord,  A.  M.  (Princeton  College  Class  of 
1825)  was  then  principal.  He  entered  Princeton  College  in 
1835,  joining  the  Sophomore  Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society. 
He  was  of  medium  size  in  person ;  in  manner  sedate,  orderly, 
agreeable,  much  loved  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends,  never  get- 
ting into  any  mischief  or  scrapes  of  any  sort,  punctiliously 
attentive  to  every  college  duty,  and  earnestly  studious,  gradu- 
ating with  distinction  by  taking  the  eighth  grade  in  our  class 
of  seventy-five. 

After  graduating,  Mr.  Little  read  law  two-and-a-half  years 
with  the  Hon.  Jacob  W.  Miller,  afterwards  U.  S.  Senator  from 
New  Jersey ;  and  six  months  in  the  office  of  the  Hon.  Ira  C. 
Whitehead,  afterwards  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 
Jersey. 

On  receiving  license  to  practice  he  immediately  established 
himself  in  his  profession  at  Morristown,  N.  J.,  where  he  has 
continued  unto  this  day,  and  where  he  has  become  one  of  the 
pillars  of  social,  professional  and  church  life. 

Since  the  organization  of  The  First  National  Bank,  of  Mor- 
ristown, Mr.  Little  has  been  and  still  is  its  President.  For  a 
time  he  held  the  office  of  "Commissioner  of  Appeals  in 
matters  of  taxation."  In  1864  he  was  nominated  for  Congress 
on  the  Republican  ticket  in  his  Congressional  District  which 
then  held  a  Democratic  majority  of  about  3,000,  and  it  was 
reduced  at  the  following  election  to  about  1800.  But,  best  of 
all,  he  is  an  active  and  useful  Christian  man,  and  has  for  a 
long  course  of  years  been  a  ruling  elder  in  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church,  of  Morristown.  Long  may  he  live,  con- 
tinuing to  enjoy  the  respect  and  affection  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  101 

Mr.  Little  has  been  thrice  married  :  i.  To  Mary  Heath 
Marsh,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Marsh,  Sr.,  of  Morris  Co.,  Jan- 
uary 5,  1842.     She  died  June  6th  of  the  same  year. 2.  To 

Sarah  B.  Hedges,  daughter  of  Stephen  Hedges,  M.  D.,  of 
Newton,  N.  J.,  on  June  2,  1846.     She  died  October  12,  1866, 

3.  To  Annis  Williams  Johnes,  daughter  of  George  W. 

Johnes,  of  Morristown,  N.  J.,  August  18,  1868,  who  still  lives. 
He  has  six  living  children,  viz.:  i.  Stephen  Hedges  Little,  a 
Princeton  College  graduate,  Class  of  1868,  who  married  Corne- 
lia, daughter  of  Jacob  M.  Halsted,  of  New  York,  and  resides  at 
Morristown. 2.  Theodore  Little,  Jr.,  married  Edith,  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  Leonard,  of  Colorado,  and  resides  at  Aspen,  Colo- 
rado.  3.  Margaret  J.,  married  Frank  S.  Craven,  son  of  the 

Rev.  E.  R.  Craven,  D.D.,  residing  at  Morristown,  N.  J. 4. 

Sarah  Hedges,  unmarried,  residing  at  present  at  Aspen,  Col- 
orado.  5.  George  Johnes,  at  his  father's  home. 6.  Eliz- 
abeth N.,  at  her  father's  home. 

Our  classmate  writes:  "  I  am  thankful  I  have  never  had  any 
political  aspirations,  nor  indeed  aspirations  for  office  of  any 
kind.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  I  do  not  think  I  was  ever  in 
better  health  than  at  present,  although  I  cannot  deceive  myself 
as  to  my  age.  Nor  do  I  desire  to  do  so.  Life  is  indeed  a 
checkered  scene.  How  short  the  time  appears  since  our 
graduation,  and  yet  it  is  more  than  half  a  century!  " 

It  was  profoundly  regretted  by  all  who  were  there,  that  we 
could  not  draw  Mr.  Little  to  our  grand  class  meeting  on  June 
20,  1888.  But  the  truth  was,  his  face  had  been  disfigured  by 
contact  with  poisonous  ivy,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  frighten 
his  venerable  classmates  or  to  have  them  carry  away  disagree- 
able recollections  of  his  own  appearance.  But  the  writer  saw 
him  some  months  later,  and  can  certify  all  parties  interested 
that  he  is  now  to  all  appearance  one  of  the  youngest  looking 
and  best  preserved  survivors  of  the  class  of  1838. 


102  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 


LEWIS  Mcknight,  a.m.,  m.d. 

Lewis  McKnight,  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Green)  Mc- 
Knight,  was  born  at  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  November  2,  181 7, 
but  during  his  college  course  his  home  was  at  Bordentown, 
N.  J.  For  some  time  he  was  a  pupil  in  Gummere's  School  at 
Burlington,  N.  J.  In  the  spring  of  1836  he  went  to  Princeton 
and  received  private  instruction  from  Professors  John  S.  Hart 
and  Stephen  Alexander,  entering  the  Junior  Class  of  that  year, 
and  the  Cliosophic  Society. 

All  his  classmates  who  yet  live  well  remember  him  as 
slightly  above  the  average  height  and  rather  slender  ;  lithe 
and  springy  in  movement ;  of  handsome,  expressive  and  intel- 
ligent face ;  always  neat  as  a  pin  in  his  attire  ;  easy,  agreeable 
and  gentlemanly  in  manner;  a  decided  favorite  among  his 
fellow-students ;  and  creditably  studious  and  attentive  to 
college  duties. 

Immediately  on  graduating  he  began,  in  company  with  his 
two  classmates  and  most  intimate  friends,  Van  Wyck  and  Van 
Arsdale,  to  study  medicine  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
at  Philadelphia,  and  the  three  took  their  medical  degree  at  the 
same  time  in  184 1.  "  Soon  after  this,"  Dr.  McKnight  writes, 
"I  married,  and  sailed  for  Paris  in  October,  1841.  I  there 
again  met  Van  Arsdale.  He  returned  in  the  spring  of  1842 
and  settled  in  New  York.  I  returned  in  the  fall  of  1842  and 
put  out  my  shingle  on  the  ist  of  December  in  that  year  at 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  where  I  practiced  four  years.  Van  Wyck  settled 
for  awhile  in  Philadelphia,  and  I  saw  them  from  time  to  time 
until  I  removed  to  Milwaukee  in  1850.  With  these  two 
exceptions  and  that  of  Blaney,  whom  I  saw  at  different  times 
in  Chicago,  I  do  not  call  to  mind  that  I  ever  saw  any  one  of 
our  classmates  since  I  graduated,  up  to  our  class-meeting  in 
June  last." 

After  practicing  medicine  four  years  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  as 
above-mentioned.  Dr.  McKnight  removed  to  Milwaukee,  Wis., 
in  1850,  where  he  practiced  until  about  1866.  About  1859 
he  accepted  the   office  of  Medical   Director  of  the   North- 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  103 

western  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  which  position  he 
still  holds  and  to  the  duties  of  which  he  has  devoted  his  whole 
time  for  over  twenty  years. 

Dr.  McKnight  married,  July  6,  1841,  Elizabeth  Walker 
Merritt,  daughter  of  Mr.  Benjamin  Merritt,  of  Troy,  N.  Y. 
This  lady  is  still  living.  Of  the  six  children  they  have  had, 
three  are  living,  viz.:  i.  Cornelia  Trimble,  married  Lewis 
G.  Hughes,  and  at  present  resides  with  her  father. 2.  Caro- 
line Merritt,  married   Lieutenant  William  P.  Van   Ness,  and 

lives  at  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 3.  Emma  Jane,  married  J.   Walton 

Fisher,  M.D.,  and  resides  in  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

He  has  seven  grandchildren. 
■   He  is  a  communicant  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

It  was  a  real  joy  to  his  classmates  assembled  at  Princeton 
on  June  20,  1888,  to  have  Dr.  McKnight  come  in  among 
them  from  so  long  a  journey.  And  except  in  the  color  of  his 
hair  and  beard,  he  was  quite  unchanged  in  fifty  years,  as  bright, 
vivacious  and  energetic  as  ever. 


GRIFFITH  JOHN  McREE,  A.M. 

Griffith  John  McRee,  son  of  James  Fergus  McRee,  M.D., 
and  Mary  Ashe  (Hill)  McRee,  was  born  September  20,  18 19, 
at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  and  was  prepared  for  college  under  the 
instructions  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Hardin  at  Pittsboro',  N.  C.  He 
entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  joining  the  Sophomore 
Class  and  the  Clio  Society.  He  was  short  in  stature  and 
rather  thick-set,  with  a  round,  good-natured,  laughing  face ; 
was  warm-hearted,  sociable  and  agreeable  ;  was  fairly  studious, 
and  graduated  with  a  grade  considerably  above  the  average. 

After  graduating  Mr.  McRee  studied  law  in  the  office  of 
Joseph  A.  Hill,  Esq.,  of  Wilmington,  in  1841  was  licensed  to 
practice,  and  followed  his  profession  for  several  years.  He 
then  became  a  rice  planter  on  the  Cape  Fear  River.  After  the 
close  of  the  war,  however,  he  returned  to  his  former  profes- 
sion. 

Mr.  McRee  entered  the  Confederate  army  as  a  private  in 


104  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

1863,  but,  his  health  failing,  he  was  detailed  on  duty  in  the 
naval  department  at  Wilmington,  and  afterwards  in  the  Quar- 
termaster's department. 

He  married,  October  20,  1842,  at  Raleigh,  N.  C,  Penelope 
Iredell,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  James  Iredell.  She  died  Octo- 
ber 12,  1862,  at  Wilmington.  He  left  four  children,  who  are 
still  living,  viz. :   i.   Miss  F.  I.  McRee,  living  at  Tyler,  Texas. 

2.  James  Iredell  McRee,  living  at  Raleigh,   N.  C,  and 

is  Editor  of  "  The  Ntws  and  Observer,''  a  leading  Democratic 

paper  of  that  city. 3.  Penelope,  wife  of  J.  D.  Smith,  living 

at  Texarkana,  Texas. 4.  William  McRee,  living  at  Texar- 

kana,  Texas. 

Mr.  McRee  died  of  consumption  April  29,  1872,  at  Wil- 
mington, N.  C.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church. 

He  was  an  accomplished  scholar.  Literature  was  his 
delight,  and  he  made  it  the  constant  companion  of  his  leisure 
hours.  A  friend  in  Wilmington  writes  :  "  He  was  a  delight- 
ful writer,  and  his  productions  indicated  painstaking  research. 
He  was  considered  a  genius  with  us  in  North  Carolina,  and 
his  memory  is  cherished  as  such."  He  wrote  much  for  the 
newspapers.  He  also  wrote  one  volume,  "  The  Life  and 
Correspondence  of  Hon.  James  Iredell,"  published  about  1857, 
and  which  attained  a  widespread  notoriety. 


THOMAS   COLEMAN   MONTGOMERY,  A.M.,   ESQ. 

Thomas  Coleman  Montgomery,  son  of  Harvey  Montgom- 
ery of  Philadelphia  afterwards  of  Rochester,  and  Mary  Elea- 
nor Rochester,  daughter  of  Col.  Nathaniel  Rochester  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  city  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  was  born  at 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  July  13,  1820.  He  was  prepared  for  college 
at  Flushing  Institute,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  where  he  spent  four 
years  under  the  teaching  of  the  Rev.  William  Augustus 
Muhlenberg,  D.D.  He  entered  the  Senior  Class  at  Princeton 
College  in  1837,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society. 

Our   recollection  of  him    is   that   he    was   always   bright, 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  105 

cheery,  with  a  decided  streak  of  humor  in  him,  affable,  gen- 
tlemanly, extremely  neat  in  his  attire,  and  a  good  scholar. 
He  received  the  twelfth  grade  in  his  class  at  graduation. 

On  leaving  college  he  immediately  began  the  study  of  law 
in  the  office  of  Gen.  Vincent  Matthews  of  Rochester.  On 
receiving  license  he  at  once  established  himself  in  practice  in 
his  native  city,  where  he  has  continued  with  great  success  and 
increasing  honor  ever  since.  He  is  now  one  of  the  foremost 
and  most  distinguished  lawyers  of  that  large  and  busy  city. 
He  has  held  many  positions  of  trust  and  great  responsibility, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  those  of  Alderman  of  the 
city  of  Rochester,  and  Supervisor  of  the  County.  Twice,  in 
1874  and  again  in  1877,  he  has  been  appointed  Lay  Deputy 
from  the  Diocese  of  Western  New  York  to  the  General  Con- 
vention of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United 
States. 

Mr.  Montgomery  married,  December  14,  1848,  Mary  Gris- 
wold  Whitney,  daughter  of  Andrew  G.  Whitney,  of  Detroit, 
Mich.  She  "  went  to  sleep,"  June  14,  1882.  Of  six  children 
born  to  them  only  two  daughters  remain,  viz. ;  Mary  Whitney, 
unmarried  and  residing  with  her  father,  and  Florence  Mont- 
gomery, married  to  Edward  B.  Angell,  M.D.,  and  living  in 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Montgomery's  father  (Harvey  Montgomery)  was  a 
student  in  Princeton  College,  but  did  not  graduate.  Mr. 
Montgomery  thinks  his  father  left  at  the  time  the  College  was 
first  burned.  Harvey  Fitzhugh  Montgomery,  M.D.  (Class  of 
1839)  ^^s  th^  younger  brother  of  our  classmate. 

Mr.  Montgomery  writes  :  "  Politically  I  have  always  been  a 
Whig  or  a  Republican.  I  was  in  favor  of  observing  strictly 
our  constitutional  obligations  to  the  South,  and  of  not  inter- 
fering with  slavery  in  the  States  where  it  existed.  But  these 
obligations  I  believed  were  annulled  by  the  war  waged  by  the 
South  to  dissever  the  Union." 

It  was  a  matter  of  profound  regret  that  we  could  not  draw 
Mr.  Montgomery  to  our  grand  class-meeting  on  June  20, 
1888.  Instead  of  coming  he  sent  the  following  letter,  which 
ought  to  be  inserted  here. 


106  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Dear  Friends  and  Classmates  : — I  am  obliged  to  you  for  your 
cordial  invitation,  but  the  care  of  a  family  and  the  demands  of  business 
debar  me  from  the  pleasure  of  accepting  it. 

I  am  glad  of  this  opportunity  to  greet  the  venerable  (!)  brethren  from 
v/hom  I  parted  in  the  spring-time  of  life  fifty  years  ago.  Though  only 
a  year  at  Princeton,  I  cherish  the  memories  of  my  college  life  there 
with  much  pleasure. 

And  what  a  half  century  it  has  been  ! — filled  as  no  other  century  has 
been  or  in  all  probability  ever  will  be,  with  extraordinary  achievements 
in  science  and  enterprise.  Ocean  steamers  and  ocean  cables — tele- 
graphs around  the  globe — telephones  from  house  to  house  and  from  city 
to  city.  Electricity  employed  to  disperse  the  darkness  of  the  night, 
and  to  supersede  the  labor  of  man  and  beast — a  mighty  Empire  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  rising  out  of  a  wilderness — and  a  gigantic  civil  war  happily 
terminated  with  new  pledges  for  a  perpetual  union.  Surely  we  have  had 
our  share  of  human  experience. 

Sons  of  our  Alma  Mater,  I  greet  you  again,  and  wish  you  all  the 
blessings  of  a  ripe  and  honored  age. 

Fraternally, 

Thomas  C.  Montgomery. 


WILLIAM  AUGUSTUS  NEWBOLD,  A.M.,  ESQ. 

William  Augustus  Newbold,  son  of  Thomas  and  Ann 
(Taylor)  Newbold,  was  born  in  Burlington  County,  N.  J.,  June 
18,  1818.  His  family  on  both  his  father's  and  mother's  side, 
were  Friends.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at  Burlington, 
N.  J.,  under  the  Rev.  Samuel  Aaron,  a  Baptist  clergyman. 

Mr.  Newbold  entered  the  Sophomore  Class,  half  advanced, 
of  Princeton  College,  early  in  the  year  1836,  and  became  a 
member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  of  average  height 
and  had  a  strongly  built  and  vigorous  frame ;  was  agreeable 
but  somewhat  retiring  and  diffident  in  manner ;  excelled  upon 
the  play-ground,  was  steady,  orderly  and  fairly  studious. 

After  graduating,  he  studied  law  three  years  under  William 
Rawie,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia;  was  licensed  about  1843,  and 
practiced  about  seven  years  in  Philadelphia.  He  then  retired 
to  his  farm,  named  "  Brookdale,"  about  four  miles  from 
Bordentown,  N.  J.,  the  original  homestead  of  his  mother's 
family,  occupied  by  his  great  great-grandfather  about  1675, 
and  where  his  mother  was  born.      There  he  has  lived  ever 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  107 

Since,  with  no  other  occupation  than  that  furnished  by  his 
farm.  And  there  he  is  still  enjoying  a  healthy  and  vigorous 
old  age. 

Mr.  Newbold  married,  May  i6,  1850,  Louisa  B.  Fobes, 
daughter  of  George  W.  Fobes,  of  Philadelphia,  and  sister  of 
Thomas  Fobes,  class  of  1839.  She  died  April  17,  1874. 
They  had  three  children,  viz. :    ist.  George  Fobes  Newbold, 

who  died  about  1882,  unmarried,  at  about  31  years  of  age — 

2d.  Albert  Newbold,  who  married  Miss  Emily  Thompson,  and 
lives  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  in  the  employ  of  the  Govern- 
ment.  3d.  Thomas    Earp    Newbold,  who    married    Miss 

Clementine  Gould  in  1884,  and  is  a  civil  engineer,  residing  in 
Washington,  D.  C.     He  has  one  grandchild. 

John  Smith  Newbold,  deceased,  of  the  college  class  of 
1 8 16,  and  George  Lawrie  Newbold,  M.  D.,  class  of  1837,  were 
cousins  of  our  classmate. 

Mr.  Newbold  is  not  a  member  of  any  church,  but  by  pre- 
ference is  a  Presbj^terian,  of  which  church  his  wife  was  a 
member,  and  in  which  his  children  were  baptized.  During 
the  civil  war  of  1 861-5,  ^^  was  an  earnest  and  unflinching  sup- 
porter of  the  government,  but  took  no  active,  personal  part  in 
the  contest.  He  was  present  at  our  class-meeting  at  Princeton 
on  June  20,  1888,  appearing  almost  as  robust  and  vigorous  as 
he  was  fifty  years  ago.  His  presence  added  much  to  the 
enjoyableness  of  that  delightful  gathering. 

REV.  MALCOM  ALFRED  PATTERSON,  A.M. 

Malcom  Alfred  Patterson,  son  of  William  and  Mary 
(McKinnon)  Patterson,  was  born  May  3,  18 10,  near  Union 
Church,  in  Moore  County,  N.  C,  and  received  his  preparatory 
education  at  Donaldson  Academy  at  Fayette  County,  N.  C. 
Their  father  died  when  he  and  his  only  brother,  John,  (after- 
wards a  lawyer  somewhere  in  the  West)  were  quite  young,  and 
they  were  thrown  upon  their  own  exertions  for  an  education. 
Malcom  taught  school  some  years  near  the  place  of  his  birth. 
He  early  became  a  Christian  and  made  a  public  profession  of 
his  faith  in  Christ. 


108  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Mr.  Patterson  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  at  Princeton 
College  in  1835,  at  the  same  time  joining  the  Whig  Society. 
He  was  some  years  older  than  the  most  of  his  classmates, 
and  was  grave  and  sedate  in  countenance  and  demeanor,  these 
testifying  that  he  had  long  battled  with  care,  anxiety  and 
sorrow.  At  the  same  time  he  was  always  courteous,  polite 
and  affable.  But  everywhere  and  at  all  times  he  was  a  con- 
sistent Christian  man,  and  was  thoroughly  respected  as  such. 
He  was  also  assiduous  in  study,  and  his  final  grade  was  con- 
siderably above  the  average  of  his  class. 

On  leaving  college,  Mr.  Patterson  entered  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  Columbia,  S.  C,  whence  he  was  regularly  gradu- 
ated in  1 84 1.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel  in  1842 
by  Fayetteville  Presbytery,  and  after  supplying  its  pulpit  two 
or  three  years,  received  a  call  from  Pea  River  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Barbour  County,  Alabama,  where  he  was  ordained 
and  installed  as  pastor  in  1845.  Here  he  labored  pleasantly 
and  successfully  about  eighteen  years.  In  i860  this  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved,  and  he  removed  to  Arkansas,  where 
he  preached  as  stated  supply  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 
Mount  Holly,  Union  County,  Ark.,  until  1865.  During  the 
last  years  of  his  life,  owing  to  feeble  and  declining  health,  he 
was  not  able  to  preach  regularly.  This  was  a  source  of  deep 
sorrow  to  him,  as  he  dearly  loved  his  chosen  work.  But  his 
health  grew  worse  and  worse,  and  he  gently  breathed  his  last 
at  Mount  Holly,  Ark.,  March  18,  1882,  in  the  seventy-second 
year  of  his  age.     His  disease  was  consumption. 

"  Mr,  Patterson  was  an  humble,  devout  and  earnest  man ;  a 
man  of  sterling  integrity,  uprightness  and  purity  of  motives 
surpassed  by  very  few.  His  preaching  was  of  the  purest  and 
most  evangelical  type.  The  last  years  of  his  life  were 
shadowed  by  dark  clouds  of  affliction,  as  "he  was  bereaved  of 
two  lovely  Christian  daughters.  But  he  was  well  sustained 
by  divine  power  and  grace."  Such  was  the  testimony  of  the 
presbytery  of  which  he  was  a  member  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Mr.  Patterson  was  twice  married:  i.  To  Ann  McRae, 
daughter  of  Colin  McRae,  December  31,  1844,  at  Fort 
Gaines,  Ga.     She  died  in  1870. 2.  To  Mary  Ann  McRae, 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  109 

daughter  of  Christopher  McRae,  March  3,  1872,  at  Mount 
Holly,  Ark.  She  is  still  living  at  Mount  Holly  with  her  bro- 
ther, K.  G.  McRae,  M.D.  Mr.  Patterson  had  eight  children, 
of  whom  two  only  are  now  living,  viz. :  i.  Augusta,  married 
to  Mr.  Henry  Hawkins,  of  Mount  Holly,  Ark.,  and 2.  Al- 
fred Patterson,  of  Hope,  Ark.,  not  married. 


ELISHA   BOYD   PENDLETON,  M.D. 

Elisha  Boyd  Pendleton,  son  of  Philip  Clayton  Pendleton 
(Class  of  1796)  and  Sarah  (Boyd)  Pendleton,  was  born  at 
Martinsburg,  Berkeley  County,  W.  Va.,  January  13,  1820. 
His  father  above-mentioned  (Philip  C.  Pendleton)  was  born 
in  1779,  went  to  Princeton  College  in  the  spring  of  1793,  and 
was  graduated  in  1796,  when  not  yet  seventeen  years  of  age, 
in  the  same  class  with  the  distinguished  John  Macpherson 
Berrien  and  William  Gaston,  dividing  the  first  honor  of  the 
class  with  the  latter.  Our  class-mate  received  his  preparatory 
education  at  Martinsburg,  his  native  place,  under  Samuel  M. 
Whann,  who  received  an  honorary  degree  of  A.M.  from 
Princeton  College  in  1838. 

Mr.  Pendleton  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  at  Princeton, 
half-advanced,  in  the  spring  of  1836,  and  joined  the  Whig 
Society.  He  was  a  little  over  medium  size  and  strongly 
built,  of  a  staid,  quiet  and  dignified  mien  for  one  of  his  age; 
affable,  courteous,  much  respected  and  much  beloved,  and 
attentive  to  all  college  duties. 

Immediately  after  his  graduation,  he  began  the  study  of 
medicine  at  the  University  of  Maryland  in  Baltimore,  from 
which  he  received  his  degree  of  M.D.  He  also  attended  one 
course  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  Philadelphia,  and 
during  that  time  was  appointed  a  resident  student  in  a  hospi- 
tal near  Baltimore,  finishing  his  course  there.  Soon  after,  he 
settled  down  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Berkeley 
Springs,  Morgan  County,  W.  Va.,  not  far  from  his  native 
place.  Here  he  has  continued  ever  since.  He  very  modestly 
writes  of  himself:  "  My  life  has  had  in   it  nothing  differing 


110  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

from  the  lives  of  thousands  of  others.  Trying  to  stand  in  my 
lot  in  the  unobtrusive  requirements  of  home,  and  to  exercise 
an  influence  for  good  on  others  with  whom  I  have  been 
brought  in  contact,  has  been  about  the  sum  of  my  ambition. 
Up  to  the  war,  my  life  was  a  very  quiet  one.  Since  the  war, 
I  have  resumed  the  practice  of  medicine.  The  field  is  a  nar- 
row one,  and  is  more  connected  with  the  simple  'annals  of 
the  poor'  than  with  the  rush  of  a  larger  population.  I  am  a 
quiet  country  doctor,  waiting  to  end  my  days  in  sincere  hu- 
mility and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  as  my  Saviour.  Like  your- 
self, I  am  a  Presbyterian.     I  am  also  a  ruling  elder." 

We  may  venture  to  add  that  from  other  sources  we  have 
learned  that  through  all  the  region  where  he  lives  and  is 
known,  Dr.  Pendleton  is  regarded  as  a  thoroughly  reliable 
physician,  as  a  kind  neighbor  and  a  steadfast  friend,  as  a  wise 
and  useful  citizen,  and  as  a  consistent  and  honored  Christian. 

Dr.  Pendleton  was  a  cousin  of  our  lately  deceased  and 
much  lamented  classmate,  Dr.  Alexander  S.  Dandridge,  of 
Cincinnati.  On  the  roll  of  the  Princeton  College  Alumni  are 
also  found,  besides  his  father  already  mentioned,  his  near 
relative,  Philip  Pendleton  Cooke,  Class  of  1834;  his  two 
brothers,  Philip  Pendleton,  Jr.,  Class  of  1833,  and  Edmund 
Pendleton,  Class  of  1834;  and  his  nephew,  Alexander  Robin- 
son Pendleton,  Class  of  1868,  a  son  of  his  brother  Edmund. 
His  grandson,  John  Chester  Backus  Pendleton,  is  now  an 
undergraduate  student  at  Princeton. 

During  a  part  of  the  civil  war  of  1861-5,  Dr.  Pendleton  was 
in  the  army  and  held  President  Lincoln's  commission  as 
Brigade  Surgeon,  but  exposure  and  sickness  made  it  necessary 
for  him  to  resign  before  the  end  of  the  war.  "  The  chief 
significance  to  be  attached,"  he  writes,  "  to  that  portion  of  my 
life  is,  that  I  remained  true  to  my  country  and  to  my  State, 
believing  that  her  honor  as  well  as  her  interest,  was  in  the 
Union ;  and  I  look  back  with  pride  to  the  fact  that  I  opposed 
with  all  my  power  the  madness  and  folly  of  that  sad  time." 

Dr.  Pendleton  married,  April  25,  1843,  Lucinda  Tutt, 
daughter  of  Charles  Pendleton  Tutt,  a  distant  relation,  of 
Loudoun  County,  Va.      She   died   August    14,    1887.     They 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  Ill 

had  three  children,  all  now  living,  viz.:  i.  Charles  H. 
Pendleton,  a  graduate  of  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis, 
who  married  Matilda,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  C.  Backus, 
D.D.,  of  Baltimore.  She  died  in  Baltimore  in  1877,  leaving 
two  children,  John  C.  B.  Pendleton,  now  a  student  in  Prince- 
ton College,  and  Lucinda.     Their  home  is  in  Baltimore, 

2.  Sally  Boyd,  married  to  Eugene  Van  Rensselaer,  the  only 
surviving   son  of  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  of  Albany.     They 

have    two    children. 3.    Nathaniel    Dandridge    Pendleton, 

married  in  June,  1888,  Agnes  Taylor,  of  Baltimore,  Md.  Our 
classmate  has  four  grandchildren. 

Dr.  Pendleton  was  present  at  our  class-meeting  on  June  20, 
1888,  at  Princeton,  and  his  presence  was  hailed  with  delight 
by  all  his  classmates  who  were  there.  In  appearance  he  was 
less  changed  by  the  flight  of  fifty  years  than  all  had  expected 
to  find  him.  Not  one  of  those  present  had  seen  him  since  we 
parted  on  the  day  of  our  graduation. 


GEN.  LEWIS  PERRINE,  A.M. 

Lewis  Perrine,  son  of  Major  John  Perrine,  Jr.,  and  Sarah 
(Ely)  Perrine,  was  born  in  Freehold  Township,  Monmouth 
County,  N.  J.,  September  14,  181 5.  His  family  was  of  a  dis- 
tinguished Huguenot  origin,  and  one  of  his  ancestors  came 
to  New  Jersey  with  Sir  Philip  Carteret,  about  1665.  The 
name  was  originally  spelt  "  Perrin. "  His  preparatory  educa- 
tion was  acquired  at  the  Lawrenceville  High  School,  near 
Princeton,  where  he  was  a  pupil  of  the  Rev.  Isaac  V.  Brown, 
D.D.,  and  Alexander  H.  Phillips,  A.M.,  from  1832  to  1835. 

He  joined  the  Sophomore  Class  and  the  Whig  Society  in 
Princeton  College  in  1835.  He  was  in  stature  above  the 
average  size,  of  agreeable  manners,  friendly  and  sociable  in 
disposition,  somewhat  fond  of  fun  and  frolic,  excelling  on  the 
play-ground,  and  held  in  high  regard  and  esteem  by  all  his 
fellow-students. 

After  his  graduation  from  College,  he  chose  the  profession 
of  law,  and  became  a  student  in  the  office  of  the  Hon.  Garret 


112  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

D.  Wall,  then  U.  S.  Senator  from  Nesv  Jersey.  Owing  to  the 
absence  of  Gen.  Wall  in  Wclshington  a  large  part  of  his  time, 
and  the  founding  of  a  Law  School  in  connection  with  the 
college,  in  which  James  S.  Green,  Esq.,  and  Richard  S.  Field, 
Esq.,  were  Professors,  Mr.  Perrine  removed  to  Princeton,  and 
continued  his  legal  studies  in  the  office  of  James  S.  Green, 
Esq.  He  received  license  in  September,  1841,  and  opened  an 
office  in  Trenton,  where  he  continued  to  practice  until  1855, 
when  he  was  appointed  Quarter-Master  General  of  the  State 
of  New  Jersey,  which  position  he  still  holds.  From  The 
Legislative  Manual  of  New  Jersey  for  1884,  page  155,  we 
quote  the  following :  In  185  i  "he  was  appointed  and  served 
as  Military  Secretary  to  Gov.  Fort.  He  was  appointed  Aid- 
de-Camp  on  the  staff  of  Gov.  Price  in  1854,  and  was  commis- 
sioned Quarter- Master  General,  September  22,  1855.  His 
services  during  the  late  war,  which  were  both  arduous  and 
trying,  were  executed  with  rare  ability  and  expedition.  The 
State  of  New  Jersey  having  more  troops  in  the  field  than  the 
regular  forces  of  the  United  States,  made  the  duties  of  the 
office  very  laborious,  requiring  much  skill  and  endurance  in 
their  execution.  For  meritorious  services  in  the  discharge  of 
the  same,  he  was  made  [April  28,  1865]  Brevet  Major-General 
by  the  Senate,  on  the  recommendation  of  Gov.  Joel  Parker." 

On  the  creation  of  the  free  banking  system,  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  Gov.  Fort,  with  the  Hon.  Charles  S.  Olden,  as  Bank 
Commissioner,  and  served  until  the  abolition  of  the  system 
by  the  repeal  of  the  law.  In  1871  he-  was  one  of  the  Com- 
missioners to  rebuild  the  State  House,  and  continued  as  such 
ten  years.  In  1879  he  was  one  of  the  Yorktown  Commis- 
sioners. In  1866  he  was  President  of  the  Board  of  Visitors 
to  the  West  Point  Military  Academy.  He  has  been  frequently 
tendered  high  positions  in  the  military  and  civil  service,  which 
he  declined,  preferring  the  less  distinguished  position  of  Quar- 
ter-Master General,  which  he  has  filled  with  credit  and  fidelity 
and  to  the  best  interests  of  the  State. 

Gen.  Perrine  married.  May  4,  1842,  at  Trenton,  Ann  Eli- 
za Pratt,  daughter  of  James  Dundas  Pratt,  of  Philadelphia. 
She  is  still  living.     They  have  three  living  children,  viz. :   i. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  113 

Mary  Agnes,  who  married  Lieut.  James  E.  Bell,  now  deceased, 
of  the  United  States   Army,  and  resides   with  her  father,  in 

Trenton. 2.    Henry  Pratt    Perrine,  a    graduate    of  West 

Point  Military  Academy  in  1869,  and  now  a  Captain  in  the 
United  States  Cavalry,  who  married  Louise  Scudder,  daughter 
of  Judge  Edward  W.  Scudder,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 

Jersey,     They  reside    in   Trenton. 3.  Lewis  Perrine,  Jr., 

Assistant  Quarter-master  General  of  New  Jersey  with  the 
rank  of  Colonel,  graduated  from  Princeton  College  in  the 
class  of  1880,  married  Harriet  Adelaide  Slack,  daughter  of 
Major  William  B.  Slack,  deceased,  late  of  the  United  States 
Marine  Corps.     They  reside  in  Trenton. 

Gen.  Perrine  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
has  an  uncommonly  fine  collection  of  orchids,  to  which  he 
devotes  much  personal  attention. 

He  was  present  at  our  Class  Meeting  at  Princeton  on  June 
20,  1888,  looking  well  and  vigorous,  and  taking  an  active 
and  joyous  part  in  all  our  proceedings.  He  deserved  and  re- 
ceived the  gratitude  of  his  assembled  classmates  for  his 
thoughtfulness,  generosity  and  excellent  taste,  as  shown  in 
providing  at  his  own  expense  a  sufficient  number  of  beauti- 
ful and  appropriate  badges — the  gilded  figures  '38 — worn  by 
each  one  on  the  Commencement  stage,  attached  to  the  lapel 
of  his  coat.  One  and  all  will  treasure  this  badge  while  they 
live,  and  will  never  look  at  it  without  a  special  and  grateful 
remembrance  of  Gen.  Lewis  Perrine. 


REV.  ABNBR  ADDISON  PORTER,  A.M.,  D.D. 

Abner  Addison  Porter,  son  of  the  Rev.  Francis  Hamil- 
ton Porter  and  Mrs.  Isabella  (Kilpatrick)  Porter,  was  born 
October  12,  1817,  at  Asheville,  N.  C.  He  belonged  to  a 
family  of  ministers.  His  father,  his  maternal  grandfather, 
his  two  maternal  uncles  and  his  three  brothers  all  being 
Presbyterian  ministers.  While  he  was  yet  a  child,  his  father 
removed  to  Alabama,  and  established  a  classical  school  at 
Selma,  in  that  State.  In  this  school  the  youthful  Abner  as- 
8 


114  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

sisted  his  father  until  his  own  preparations  for  college  were 
completed,  even  at  that  early  age  displaying  such  mental 
vigor,  intellectual  growth  and  moral  excellence  as  gave  rare 
promise  of  future  eminence  and  usefulness. 

He  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  in  the  College  of  New 
Jersey,  in  1835,  and  the  Whig  Society.  In  form  he  was  tall 
and  slender;  in  manners  grave,  sedate,  modest  and  diffident. 
He  was  a  model  of  regularity  and  punctuality,  and  unsur- 
passed in  diligent  attention  to  every  study  and  to  every  duty 
of  his  class.  His  recitations  were  almost  invariably  perfect. 
At  his  graduation  he  was  fourth  in  rank  among  seventy-five, 
the  three  who  were  above  him  being  above  by  a  very  small 
fraction.  He  was  also  an  excellent  speaker,  having  a  clear 
voice,  a  fine  style,  an  earnest,  graceful  and  impressive  deliv- 
ery. At  the  graduation  of  the  class  he  delivered  the  Vale- 
dictory, and  an  unusually  fine  one  it  was.  He  was  always 
held  in  unbounded  respect  and  esteem  by  his  fellow-students. 

On  leaving  college,  Mr.  Porter  returned  to  Alabama  and 
spent  about  a  year  in  teaching,  after  which  he  entered  the 
Theological  Seminary  at  Columbia,  S.  C,  passed  through  a 
full  three  years  course  of  study,  and  was  graduated  in  1842. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  Tuscaloosa 
(Ala.)  Oct.  15,  1842,  and  having  accepted  calls  to  become 
pastor  of  the  two  churches  of  Bethsalem  and  Burton's  Hill, 
in  that  presbytery,  was  ordained  and  installed  over  them,  Nov. 
19,  1843.  He  labored  in  this  field  until  1847,  when  he  was 
removed  to  Charleston  and  became  Assistant  Pastor  (with 
Rev.  Thomas  Smythe,  D.  D.),  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church  in  that  city.  But  soon  after,  in  May,  1847,  the  Glebe 
St.  Church,  whose  members  were  a  colony  from  the  Second, 
was  organized  Nov.  26,  1848,  and  Mr.  Porter  was  installed  as 
its  pastor.  He  gave  to  it  such  a  wealth  of  pulpit  and  pastoral 
endowments,  that  the  new  enterprise  entered  upon  a  remarka- 
ble career  of  prosperity.  Thence  he  was  called  in  185  i,  to 
the  pastorate  of  the  important  church  at  Selma,  Alabama, 
where  he  remained  until  i860,  when  his  health  failed  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  render  a  continuance  of  his  pulpit  labors  im- 
possible.    A  fine  estimate  of  him  during  this  period  of  his  life 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  115 

is  given  by  a  highly  intelligent  lady  who  sat  under  his  preach- 
ing in  Selma,  and  knew  him  well : 

"  He  was  a  courteous  and  elegant  gentleman ;  a  little  re- 
served in  manners,  even  so  much  as  to  appear  distant  on 
meeting  with  strangers,  but  beaming  delightfully  on  his 
friends.  He  was  a  laborious  and  painstaking  pastor,  even  to 
this  day  remembered  with  grateful  affection  by  those  who 
were  under  his  care.  He  was  an  able  theologian  and  a  strik- 
ingly forcible  preacher,  a  man  of  mark  in  the  church  of  the 
south." 

The  writer  of  this  sketch  never  saw  Dr.  Porter  but  once 
after  his  graduation,  which  was  at  the  meeting  of  the  Presby- 
terian General  Assembly  in  New  Orleans  in  May,  1858. 
Except  that  he  then  wore  a  heavy  beard,  and  that  his  hair  and 
beard  were  well  sprinkled  with  grey  hairs,  he  was  to  all  ap- 
pearance quite  unchanged,  and  met  his  classmate  with  the 
same  quiet,  modest,  genial  manner  he  had  when  they  were  to- 
gether at  Princeton. 

After  his  recovery  from  a  long  and  dangerous  illness  he 
accepted  the  editorial  chair  of  TJie  Southern  Presbyterian^  a 
religious  paper,  which  he  edited  about  five  years,  1860-1865, 
residing  in  Columbia,  S.  C.  This  journal  he  edited  with  dis- 
tinguished ability,  filling  its  editorial  columns  largely  with 
rich  and  rare  productions  of  his  own  pen.  His  connection 
with  this  paper  ended  about  the  close  of  the  war,  when,  his 
health  again  permitting,  he  preferred  to  return  to  the  pulpit. 
In  Feb.,  1867,  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church  at 
Spartanburgh,  S.  C,  and  labored  there  until  May,  1869,  when 
he  left  to  enter  upon  his  final  field  of  labor  in  Texas. 

While  residing  in  Spartanburg,  he  received  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Wolford  College,  a  Methodist  insti- 
tution located  in  that  place,  which  was  regarded  as  an  indica- 
tion of  the  general  appreciation  of  his  great  abilities  at  his 
own  home. 

Dr.  Porter,  in  view  of  the  wide  destitutions  existing  in 
Texas  after  the  war,  felt  himself  strongly  attracted  thither- 
ward, and  the  way  being  providentially  opened  before  him 
he  took  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 


116  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838, 

Austin,  the  capital  of  that  state.  He  was  never  installed  as 
pastor  there,  but  labored  as  Stated  Supply  from  May,  1869^ 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  Dec.  8,  1872.  His  labors 
in  Austin  were  not  long,  but  we  have  the  testimony  of  those 
in  that  city  who  well  knew  him  and  his  work,  that  he  was  re- 
garded by  all  as  "  a  man  of  learning,  ability  and  eloquence,  and 
was  endeared  to  all  who  knew  him  as  a  great  and  good  man." 

Dr.  Porter's  principal  publications  were  articles  in  The 
Southern  Presbyterian  Review,  among  which  may  be  mentioned 
his  articles  "  On  Hodge  on  the  Atonement,"  Vol.  xix.,  p.  313  ; 
"  North  and  South,"  Vol.  iii.,  p.  337 ;  "  Power  of  the  Pulpit," 
Vol.  ii.,  p.  270;  "Unity  of  The  Race,"  Vol.  iv. ,  p.  357,  and 
his  last  one,  "  On  a  Call  to  The  Gospel  Ministry,"  which  was 
published,  not  only  in  the  Review  above-mentioned,  but  after- 
wards as  a  pamphlet,  and  attracted  much  attention.  As  has 
already  been  said,  he  also  wrote  much  and  ably  as  Editor  of 
The  Southci'n  Presbyterian. 

Dr.  Porter  was  thrice  married  :  i.  To  Miss  Hannah  Napier 
Leland,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Aaron  Leland,  D.D.,  Professor 
in  Columbia  Theological  Seminary  (S.  C),  on  June  13,  1844. 

She  died  at  Selma,  Ala.,  April  20,  1845. 2.  To  Miss  Isabel 

Jane  Pratt,  daughter  of  Rev.  Horace  S.  Pratt  who  had  been 
until  his  death  Professor  in  the  University  of  Alabama  at 
Tuscaloosa,  on  May  14,  1848.     She  died  at  Columbia,  S.  C, 

on  January  3,  1862. 3.  To   Miss  Sarah  Elizabeth  Black, 

daughter  of  the  Hon,  James  A.  Black  of  Spartanburg  Dis- 
trict, S.  C,  on  March  20,  1864.  She  survived  him,  and  still 
lives  at  Austin,  Texas.  She  has  married  again,  and  is  now 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Frank  R.  Lubbock,  Ex-Governor  of  Texas, 

Dr,  Porter  left  two  sons  and  four  daughters  :   i.  Isabel  May, 

married  to  Major  F.  W.  James,  a  banker  at  Baird,  Texas. 

2.  Francis  Leland. 3.  Laleah  Dunwoody,  married  to  Rev. 

J.  J.  Reid,  missionary  to  the  Indians,  and  living  at  Wapanucka, 

Indian  Territory. 4.  Jeannette  Hannah,  married  to  Lewis 

C.  Wise,  lived  at  Abilene,  Texas,  and  died   in    1877. 5. 

Abner  Addison,  married  Miss  Laura  Dalton  of  Burnet,  Texas, 

and  lives   in   Florida. 6.  Mary  Logan,  only  child   of  the 

third  Mrs.  Porter,  died  at  Ridgeway,  S.  C,  October  27,  1873. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  117 

Many  are  the  testimonies  from  eminent  Southern  divines 
and  others,  to  the  exalted  talents  and  reputation  of  Dr.  Porter. 
We  select  only  one,  from  one  of  the  most  eminent  Southern 
ministers  now  living,  and  who  was  on  terms  of  intimacy  with 
him  for  thirty  years  :  "  Dr.  Porter  was  an  uncommonly  fine 
scholar,  and  one  of  the  ablest  theologians  of  the  Southern 
Church.  He  was  a  clear,  vigorous,  powerful  preacher.  He 
handled  great  themes  with  unction,  and  was  full  of  the  spirit 
of  a  true  Christian  minister.  His  health  was  poor  during 
most  of  his  ministerial  life,  but  he  had  indomitable  will,  and 
never  flinched  from  toil.  He  was  really  a  great  man,  yet 
wonderfully  free  from  self-consciousness  or  self-assertion,  and 
was  singularly  truthful,  candid,  honest  and  conscientious." 

On  one  side  of  the  marble  shaft  that  marks  his  grave  in 
the  Austin  Cemetery  is  simply  a  radiant  croivn,  and  below  it 
only  the  words : 

"  WON." 
Abner  Addison  Porter. 


THOMAS  RICHARD  PURNELL,  A.M. 

Thomas  Richard  Purnell  was  born  near  Halifax,  Halifax 
County,  N.  C,  January  8,  1817.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Sarah  (Eelbeck)  Purnell.  He  was  prepared  for  college  by 
Lewis  Bobbitt,  at  Lewiston,  N.  C.  Before  going  to  Prince- 
ton he  was  for  some  time  a  student  at  The  University  of 
North  Carolina,  at  Chapel  Hill.  Some  infraction  of  the  Col- 
lege laws  occurred.  A  calf  or  a  goat  was  put  into  the  belfry 
in  such  a  way  as  to  ring  the  bell.  He  was  summoned  before 
the  Faculty,  and  on  examination  denied  being  an  active  partici- 
pant, but  admitted  that  he  knew  who  were  the  culprits,  and  re- 
fused to  tell.  For  this  refusal  he  was  suspended,  and  although 
urged  by  the  President  of  the  University  and  others,  refused 
to  return  at  the  end  of  his  term  of  suspension,  insisting  that 
a  great  injustice  had  been  done  to  him.  So  he  came  to 
Princeton  in  1835,  where  he  joined  the  Sophomore  Class 
and  the   Cliosophic  Society.     His  appearance  in  the  days  of 


118  BIOGRAPHY  OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

his  college  life  is  vividly  and  pleasantly  depicted  by  his  class- 
mate, Dr.  Henry  W.  B.  Woodhull,  as  follows  : 

"  Thomas  Richard  Purnell  was  of  a  pure  and  noble  manhood,  and 
lovely  in  mind  and  heart.  In  our  moments  of  merriment  we  used  to 
say  to  him  :  '  Dear  Tom,  if  we  could  only  dress  you  up  in  a  woman's 
costume,  how  impossible  it  would  be  not  to  fall  in  love  with  you.'  With 
his  clear  and  olive  complexion,  his  quiet  and  graceful  repose  of  man- 
ner and  bearing,  his  bright,  soft,  dark,  soul-speaking  eye,  he  magnet- 
ized all  who  came  to  know  him,  and  won  all  hearts.  After  our  gradua- 
tion it  was  my  privilege  to  spend  a  little  time  with  him  in  Philadelphia, 
where  the  absence  of  college  distractions  gave  me  a  fuller  opportunity 
of  forming  a  correct  estimate  of  him.  He  had  that  latent  attractiveness 
which  became  all  the  more  winning  on  a  more  intimate  companion- 
ship. How  sad  that  death  should  so  early  rob  us  of  our  best  and 
brightest  jewels  !  His  high  social  position  and  his  brilliant  prospects 
then  seemed  to  be  the  foreshadowing  of  distinguished  honors  to  him- 
self, to  his  class  and  to  his  country.'' 

On  leaving  college  he  at  once  began  to  study  law  in  the 
office  of  the  Hon.  George  E.  Badger,  at  Raleigh,  N.  C,  and 
when  licensed,  began  to  practice  at  Halifax,  N.  C,  his  native 
place,  where  he  continued  as  long  as  he  lived.  His  success 
was  marked.  He  rapidly  rose  in  popularity  and  influence. 
In  1846  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  State  Legislature,  and  un- 
dertook a  thorough  canvass  of  his  county,  and  would  un- 
doubtedly have  been  elected,  but  in  one  of  his  journeys  a 
restive  horse  threw  him,  and  stepped  upon  his  prostrate 
body.  This  brought  on  inflammation  of  the  bowels  and  con- 
gestive chills,  under  which  he  sank  after  an  illness  of  a  few 
days,  and  died  July  19,  1846,  at  Halifax,  N.  C. 

Various  persons  still  living  in  North  Carolina  testify  that 
"  he  was  beloved  by  all,  and  his  prospects  for  success  as  a 
lawyer  were  the  brightest  had  by  any  young  lawyer  in  the 
state.  For  his  years  he  was  an  eminent  lawyer,  wonderfully 
so.  He  was  beloved  by  all,  high  and  low.  His  moral  and 
religious  character  was  of  the  brightest.  He  was  good  and 
kind  in  every  relation  of  life  and  to  all  around  him.  He 
united  with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  was  ever  a 
consistent  member." 

Mr.    Purnell   married,   May    10,    1842,    Eliza  A.    Dudley, 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  119 

daughter  of  Governor    Edward  B.  Dudley,  of  Wilmington, 
N.  C.     This  lady  is   still  living  at  Wilmington.     They   had 

two  children,      i. Edward   Dudley  Purnell,  born  in   1844, 

died   in    1846. 2.  Thomas   Richard   Purnell,  born  August 

10,  1846;  married,   November    16,  1870,  Adelia  Zevely,  and 
is  Attorney  and  Counsellor  at  Law  at  Raleigh,  N.  C. 

Thomas  R.  Purnell  the  (2d)  writes  :  "  My  son,  Thomas 
R.  Purnell  (3d),  is  a  fine  little  boy  of  five  years,  and  I  hope 
to  be  able  to  send  him  to  Princeton  College,  a  privilege  I  was 
denied  by  the  results  of  the  war."  We  hope  he  will  come, 
and  that  our  grandsons  may  find  in  him  as  charming  a  class- 
mate as  we  found  in  his  grandfather. 


RICHARD  WILIvIAM  REDIN,  ESQ. 

Richard  William  Redin  was  of  English  parentage  and 
born  in  Georgetown,  D.  C,  April  30,  1820,  being  the  only  son 
of  Richard  and  Anne  (Wright)  Redin.  He  was  finally  pre- 
pared for  college  in  his  native  town  under  the  Rev.  James 
McVean,  the  successor  there  of  President  Carnahan,  of 
Princeton  College. 

Mr.  Redin  came  to  Princeton  in  1835,  and  joined  the  Sopho- 
more Class  and  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  of  medium  size, 
active  habits,  genial  temperament,  fond  of  fun,  an  omnivorous 
reader,  a  good  writer  and  a  pleasant  speaker,  but  graduated 
with  a  low  grade. 

After  graduating,  he  studied  law  with  his  father  at  George- 
town, and  after  receiving  license  practiced  in  connection  with 
him  until  1846.  In  the  latter  year  he  went  to  the  country 
and  lived  for  a  time  in  Loudoun  Co.,  Va.  He  also  resided  a 
while  in  Berkeley  Co.,  near  Martinsburg,  W.  Va.,  where  he 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  While  on  a  visit  to  his 
father,  in  Georgetown,  he  was  taken  sick  and  died  there  of 
Asiatic  cholera,  August  23,  1849. 

Mr.  Redin  was  never  married.  He  was  an  Episcopalian,  as 
were  all  his  father's  family.     He  is  described,  by  one  who 


120  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

knew  him  well  while  living  in  Georgetown,  as  "a  young  man 
of  genial  life  and  of  great  probity,  the  idol  of  his  father's 
heart  and  worthy  of  his  father's  affection."  He  was  buried  in 
the  beautiful  Rock  Creek  Cemetery  near  Washington,  D.  C. 


REV.  JOHN  HOLT  RICE,  A.M.,  D.D. 

John  Holt  Rice  was  born  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  July  23,  1818, 
and  was  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Holt  Rice,  D.D.,  who 
was  for  many  years  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  and  of  Martha  (Alexander)  Rice,  who  was 
a  sister  of  the  Rev.  Archibald  Alexander,  D.D.,  senior  Pro- 
fessor in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Princeton.  His  pre- 
paratory education  was  acquired  partly  at  Amherst,  Mass. ; 
partly  at  Washington  Institute,  N.  Y. ;  and  just  before  entering 
college  he  received  private  instruction  from  Prof.  John  S. 
Hart,  LL.D.,  at  Princeton. 

Mr.  Rice  entered  the  Junior  Class  of  the  College  in  1836 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  kind- 
hearted,  amiable,  genial,  and  possessed  of  large  natural  gifts  ; 
was  fond  of  talking,  loved  a  good  joke,  was  sociable  in  dis- 
position, and  a  general  favorite.  He  was  only  moderately 
studious  and  received  a  final  grade  a  little  above  the  average. 

After  graduating,  he  studied  law  from  1838  to  1841  under 
James  S.  Green,  Esq.,  at  Princeton,  and  having  been  admitted 
to  the  bar,  practiced  law  for  a  short  time  at  Richmond,  Va., 
with  excellent  prospects  of  success.  At  about  twenty-four 
years  of  age  he  united  with  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of 
Richmond,  of  which  the  Rev.  William  S.  Plumer,  D.D.,  was 
then  pastor,  and  soon  after  felt  that  duty  called  him  to  preach 
the  Gospel.  He  entered  Princeton  Theological  Seminary  in 
1842  and  was  regularly  graduated  therefrom  in  1845,  after 
which,  for  several  months,  he  assisted  his  father,  who  was  then 
pastor  at  Princeton.  Then  going  to  the  South,  he  labored  one 
year,  1846-7,  as  a  City  Missionary  in  New  Orleans,  La.,  and 
at  the  same  time  was  Editor  of  The  New  Orleans  Protest- 
ant.    In  the  fall  of  1847  ^^  began  to  preach  at  Tallahassee, 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  121 

Florida,  and  having  accepted  a  call,  was  ordained  and  installed 
as  pastor  there,  April  30,  1848,  and  continued  until  released, 
March  23,  1850.  He  next  became  pastor  of  the  Village 
Church  at  Charlotte  Court  House,  Va.,  where  he  was  installed 
August  31,  1850,  and  was  released  August  24,  1855.  For 
nearly  a  year  following  he  served  the  church  as  an  agent  of 
The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  in  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee;  then  accepted  a  call  to  become  pastor  of  the 
Walnut  St.  church  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  over  which  he  was 
installed  May  4,  1856,  and  where  he  labored  zealously  and 
successfully  until  released  September  5,  1861. 

The  civil  war  having  broken  out,  Dr.  Rice  zealously 
espoused  the  Southern  side  and  retired  to  the  Gulf  States, 
where  he  preached  successively  at  Lake  Providence,  La.,  and 
at  Brandon  and  Vicksburg,  Miss.  Next  he  was  pastor  of  the 
Third  Church  at  Mobile,  Ala.,  from  May  5,  1867,  to  November 
18,  1868.  He  then  supplied  the  church  at  Franklin,  Tenn., 
from  1869  to  1874  and  the  church  at  Mason,  Tenn.,  from  1874 
to  1876,  after  which  he  labored  as  an  Evangelist  in  Memphis 
Presbytery,  preaching  to  the  poor  and  the  destitute  in  the 
neglected  portions  of  its  territory,  and  receiving  almost  no 
pecuniary  return. 

On  Sabbath,  September  i,  1878,  Dr.  Rice  preached  at 
Colliersville,  Tenn.,  returned  home  on  Monday,  sickened  on 
Tuesday  and  died  at  Mason,  Tenn.,  of  yellow  fever  on  Satur- 
day, September  7,  1878,  in  the  sixty-first  year  of  his  age.  On 
the  same  evening  he  was  buried  in  a  grave  hastily  dug  under 
a  tree  in  his  own  garden,  his  father-in-law,  the  Rev.  William 
Neil,  performing  a  short  service  at  the  grave  by  moonlight. 

Dr.  Rice  married  at  Tallahassee,  Florida,  October  24,  1849, 
Lizzie  Bogart  Neil,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  William  Neil,  and 
granddaughter  of  Mr.  Peter  Bogart,  of  Princeton,  N.  J.  This 
lady  heroically  watched  over  his  dying  hours,  when  friends 
and  neighbors  fled  from  the  terrible  disease  of  which  he  died. 
She,  with  two  sons  and  four  daughters,  survived  him. 

Dr.  Rice  received  from  Centre  College,  Ky.,  in  i860  the 
degree  of  D.D.  He  was  a  truly  good  man.  His  sermons 
were  often  of  a  very  high  order.     His  knowledge  was  wide 


122  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

and  varied.  But  he  especially  loved  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  ignorant  and  the  destitute.  After  the  division  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  1861,  he  adhered  to  the  Southern 
General  Assembly.  He  was  surpassed  by  few  in  his  knowl- 
edge of  ecclesiastical  and  parliamentary  law.  Being  a  member 
of  the  General  Assembly  that  met  in  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  in 
May,  1878,  a  kw  months  before  his  death,  he  was  made  chair- 
man of  its  Judicial  Committee,  the  duties  of  which  position  he 
discharged  with  consummate  ability. 


ROBERT  THEODORE  RICHEY,  M.D. 

Robert  Theodore  Richey  was  born  at  Asbury,  Warren 
Co.,  N.  J.,  Dec.  15,  1816.  He  was  a  son  of  William  and  Mary 
(Yadley)  Richey.  He  was  prepared  for  college  under  the 
tuition  of   Mr.  Amzi   Beach  at   Belvidere,  Warren  Co.,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Richey  entered  Princeton  College  in  1836,  joining  the 
Junior  Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  of  full 
average  size,  of  agreeable  countenance  and  manner,  gentle, 
affectionate,  affable  and  modest  in  his  bearing,  and  regular  in 
his  attendance  upon  all  college  duties. 

On  leaving  college,  he  at  once  betook  himself  to  the  study 
of  medicine,  entering  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  at  Phila- 
delphia and  receiving  from  it,  in  due  course,  his  degree  of 
M.  D.,  in  1841. 

It  is  sad  that  the  story  of  so  gentle  and  so  pleasing  a  life 
must  be  so  short.  But  only  a  few  months  had  elapsed  after 
the  receipt  of  his  medical  degree,  when  he  was  prostrated  by 
a  bilious  fever  and  died  Sept.  14,  1841. 

His  preference  was  for  the  Presbyterian  Church,  which  he  and 
his  parents  attended,  but  he  never  became  a  church  member. 

He  never  was  married. 

His  remains  were  buried  in  the  church-yard  of  the  old  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Mansfield  in  Warren  Co.,  N.  J. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  123 


CHARLES  DANIEL  RIDGWAY,  A.M. 

Charles  Daniel  Ridgway  was  born  at  Paterson,  N.  J., 
March  4,  1820,  and  was  the  son  of  parents  who  came  in  early 
Hfe  from  Lancashire,  England,  viz.  : — Daniel  and  Ann  (Beau- 
mont) Ridgway.  His  preparation  for  college  was  acquired 
under  the  Rev.  Joseph  McKee  at  Paterson,  N.  J. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  joining  the  Sopho- 
more Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  under  the 
medium  size,  but  strong  and  healthy.  In  manner  he  was 
modest,  gentle  and  agreeable.  He  had  an  affectionate  and 
friendly  disposition,  was  perfectly  orderly  and  very  attentive 
to  all  college  duties,  and  withal  a  good  student,  graduating 
with  a  highly  respectable  grade. 

He  applied  himself  at  once,  on  leaving  college,  to  the  study 
of  law  in  the  office  of  the  late  Judge  James  Spear  (class  of 
1827),  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1841.  He  practiced 
law  in  Paterson  two  or  three  years,  and  then,  on  account  of 
failing  health  accepted  the  office  of  Surrogate  of  Passaic 
County,  N.J.  Afterwards,  hoping  that  a  change  would  prove 
beneficial  to  his  health,  he  removed  to  Michigan,  and  re- 
mained there  four  years.  Then  returning  to  Paterson,  he  was 
offered  the  position  of  Secretary  in  the  New  Jersey  Locomo- 
tive and  Machine  Works,  which  he  filled  until  his  death. 
His  health  during  all  the  later  years  of  his  life  was  extremely 
delicate,  and  at  last,  under  a  violent  attack  of  dysentery,  he 
sank  and  died  at  Paterson,  N,  J.,  Aug.  10,  1854. 

Mr.  Ridgway  married,  January  1,  1843,  Ann  Blundell, 
daughter  of  John  Blundell,  of  Paterson.  She  was  generally 
regarded  as  the  most  beautiful  girl  in  the  county.  She  still 
lives  at  Winona,  Minnesota.  They  had  three  children,  viz. : 
I.  Sarah,  married  to   William  G.  McCutcheon,  and  living  at 

Winona,  Minn. 2.  Emma,  living   unmarried   in   the  same 

place,  and 3.  Sophia,  married  to   William  A.  Patterson, 

and  living  in  Chicago,  111. 

E.  Boudinot  Colt,  Esq.,  of  Paterson,  (Class  of  1843),  who 
was  a  life-long  and  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Ridgway,  writes  of 


124  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

him :  "  His  epitaph  gives  in  few  words  the  very  best  descrip- 
tion of  him.  I  never  knew  a  more  lovable  man.  His  literary  at- 
tainments were  of  a  high  order  and  made  him  a  most  charm- 
ing companion.  His  moral  and  religious  character  were 
without  blemish."  He  and  his  family  attended  the  Presby- 
terian church,  where  he  sat  under  the  preaching  of  his  old 
friend  and  classmate,  the  Rev.  William  H.  Hornblower,  D.D, 
We  here  append  the  epitaph  above  referred  to,  not  only 
because  it  so  well  describes  our  classmate,  but  also  because  it 
was  composed  by  another  valued  classmate,  Dr.  W.  H. 
Hornblower : 

To  the  Memory  of 

CHARLES  D.  RIDGWAY. 

Born  March  4,  1820 

Died 

August  10,  1854. 

The  New  Jersey  Locomotive  and 

Machine  Company 

of  which  he  was  Secretary 

have  erected  this  monument 

in  grateful  testimony  of  his  integrity 

purity  and  manly  honor 

which  commanded  the  esteem  of  all 

and  of  his  kind  and  affectionate 

disposition  which  endeared 

him  to  his  friends. 


WILLIAM   HENRY  LUTTRELL  ROGERS. 

William  Henry  Luttrell  Rogers,  son  of  Capt.  William 
L.  and  Ann  Ballantine  (Murphy)  Rogers,  was  born  at  Ayr- 
field,  Westmoreland  County,  Va.,  April  17,  1820,  and  was 
prepared  for  college  at  the:  Princeton  (N.  J.)  Academy  under 
the  Rev.  Charles  C.  Sears. 

He  entered  college  at  the  beginning  of  the  Freshman  year 
in  1834,  being  one  of  the  original  twelve  who  composed  that 
class  in  its  first  session.     He  was  also  a  Clio.     He  was  of 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  125 

medium  size,  strong  and  athletic,  having  red  hair,  and  was 
full  of  vivacity  and  fun,  the  life  of  any  circle  of  which  he 
formed  a  part.  He  was  not  only  very  entertaining,  but  ex- 
tremely good-natured  and  sociable  and  a  general  favorite. 
He  was  not  an  earnest  student  in  most  branches  of  the  col- 
lege curriculum,  but  was  particularly  fond  of  Natural  Philos- 
ophy. He  wrote  out  Prof.  Joseph  Henry's  lectures  with 
great  care,  illustrating  them  with  drawings  of  the  apparatus 
used,  many  of  which  drawings.  Prof  Henry  stated  years  after- 
wards, had  been  copied  into  important  scientific  journals  in 
Europe  as  well  as  in  this  country. 

Immediately  after  his  graduation,  he  engaged,  as  a  prelimi- 
nary to  choosing  a  profession,  in  teaching  a  school  about  a 
dozen  miles  from  Tallahassee,  in  Florida.  His  experiences 
in  this  work,  as  detailed  in  letters,  full  of  his  characteristic 
humor,  to  the  writer  of  this  sketch,  and  still  preserved,  were 
unique  and  rough,  but  did  not  continue  long.  The  neighbor- 
hood in  which  he  was  teaching  was  low,  damp  and  full  of 
malaria.  He  was  seized  with  a  bilious  fever,  after  only  a  few 
months'  residence  there,  of  which  he  died  September  28,  1839. 

At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  about  to  assume  the  edit- 
orship of  a  newspaper  in  Tallahassee,  for  which  he  had  occa- 
sionally written  articles,  the  previous  editor  having  retired, 
but  died  before  he  had  entered  upon  those  new  duties. 

Mr.  Rogers  was  the  first  member  of  the  Class  of  1838  to 
die  after  graduation.  He  was  never  married.  His  moral 
character  was  pure,  upright  and  free  from  all  reproach ;  but 
he  was  not  a  member  of  any  church.  He  was  a  younger 
brother  of  John  M.  Rogers  (Class  of  1837). 


EDWARD  STEPHEN  ROWAN. 

Edward  Stephen  Rowan,  was  son  of  the  Rev.  Stephen  N. 
Rowan,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Margaret  (Beekman)  Rowan ;  was 
born  in  New  York  City,  September  15,  181 5;  and  was  pre- 
pared for  college  in  the  Episcopal  School,  corner  of  Canal 
and  Varick  Streets  in  that  city,  under  Mr,  James  Rutherford. 


126  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Mr.  Rowan  entered  the  Junior  Class  in  1836,  but  never 
became  a  member  of  either  of  the  two  Literary  Societies.  He 
was  rather  under  the  average  in  size  and  over  it  in  age,  and 
the  younger  students  regarded  him  as  grave,  somewhat  de- 
mure and  old  in  his  appearance,  but  the  few  who  knew  him 
intimately  asserted  that  beneath  his  apparent  gravity  there  was 
a  decided  streak  of  mischief,  and  even  of  lawlessness  in  his 
composition.  He  did  not  study  hard,  or  if  he  did,  was  an  un- 
successful student,  for  on  his  graduation  he  came  out  with  the 
unenviable  distinction  of  having  received  the  lowest  grade  of 
his  class. 

After  graduating,  Mr.  Rowan  studied  law  nearly  three  years, 
and  then  theology  about  two  years,  but  so  far  as  we  have 
learned  was  never  licensed  either  to  practice  law  or  to  preach. 
From  about  1845  to  1850  he  was  employed  as  a  travelling 
temperance  lecturer.  About  1850  he  bought  160  acres  of 
land  in  Wisconsin  and  began  farming,  hoping  thus  to  get  rid 
of  the  bronchitis  under  attacks  of  which  he  had  been  suffering. 
Having  farmed  three  years,  he  returned  to  New  York  and 
became  a  clerk  in  the  New  York  City  Post  Office,  which 
position  he  retained  about  twelve  years.  He  then  went  into 
the  book  business,  in  which  he  is  still  engaged. 

Mr.  Rowan  was  married  at  Lisbon,  St.  Lawrence  County, 
N.  Y.,  in  October,  1843,  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  For- 
syth of  that  place.  She  is  now  deceased.  He  has  had  eight 
children,  of  whom  five  are  living,  viz. :   i.  Marion  E.  Rowan, 

single  and  a  teacher. 2.  Matilda  C,  married  to  Christopher 

Moller  and  lives  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 3.  Helen  C.  Rowan, 

single  and  a  teacher. 4.  Edward  S.  Rowan,  Jr.,  is  married 

and  lives  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 5.    Harriet  Frances,  married 

to  Charles  E.  Richardson  and  lives  with  her  father. 

To  the  great  gratification  of  all  his  classmates,  Mr.  Rowan 
was  present  at  their  class-meeting  on  June  20,  1888,  and 
although  in  his  73d  year  looked  quite  well  and  strong  for  a 
man  of  his  years.  He  appeared  to  enjoy  our  re-union  as 
much  as  his  younger  classmates.  His  address  is  No.  272 
Ainslie  Street,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  127 


REV.  ROBERT  WOOD  SAWYER,  A.M. 

Of  Robert  Wood  Sawyer's  early  life  but  little  is  known. 
He  was  born  near  Goshen,  Orange  Co.,  N.  Y.,  about  1817, 
but  the  precise  date  of  his  birth  and  the  names  of  his  parents 
it  has  not  been  possible  to  obtain,  nor  to  learn  where  he  re- 
ceived his  early  education. 

He  joined  the  Sophomore  class  in  Princeton  College  in 
1835,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He 
was  above  the  average  size  and  age  of  his  classmates,  staid 
and  dignified  in  appearance,  but  affable  and  amiable  and  with 
a  pleased  and  happy  smile  almost  always  on  his  face.  He 
was  a  professing  Christian,  and  his  demeanor  was  always 
consistent,  yet  never  austere  but  very  winning.  He  was 
fairly  studious  and  was  graduated  with  an  average  grade. 

From  an  early  age  Mr.  Sawyer  had  devoted  his  life  not 
only  to  the  sacred  ministry,  but  also  to  the  Foreign  Mission- 
ary work.  On  leaving  college  he  passed  at  once  into  Prince- 
ton Theological  Seminary,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1841.  He  had  already  been  accepted  and  appointed  by  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  to  go  as  a  missionary 
to  Western  Africa,  and  was  ordained  as  an  Evangelist  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson  at  Goshen,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  21,  1841. 

Mr.  Sawyer  married,  in  September,  1841,  Catherine  Ann 
Hammond,  daughter  of  Henry  Hammond,  of  Goshen.  They 
had  no  children.  After  Mr.  Sawyer's  death  she  returned  to 
this  country,  married  Rev.  J.  M.  Connelly,  of  Texas,  and  died 
July  23,  1870,  in  that  State. 

Mr.  Sawyer  and  his  wife  embarked  at  New  York  on  board 
the  ship  "Saluda,"  Oct.  6,  1841.  After  touching  at  Norfolk, 
Va.,  they  arrived  in  sight  of  Monrovia,  Liberia,  on  Dec.  10, 
1841,  fifty-four  days  after  leaving  Norfolk,  and  the  very  day 
on  which  the  ship's  supply  of  water  failed.  The  Kroomen 
very  soon  visited  the  ship  three  or  four  miles  from  shore, 
and  supplied  it  with  good  spring  water. 

Mr.  Sawyer  and  his  wife  were  soon  established  in  charge 
of  the  mission  at  Settra  Kroo.     Fully  aware  of  the  great  risk 


128  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

to  which  they  were  exposed  from  the  deadly  fever  of  that 
coast,  but  in  a  spirit  of  cheerful  dependence  on  the  good 
providence  and  grace  of  God,  they  devoted  their  lives  to  the 
service  of  the  Kroo  people.  They  settled  in  the  very  same 
native  town  to  which  two  former  graduates  of  Princeton  Col- 
lege had  gone  and  near  which  they  both  laid  down  their  lives 
in  the  same  glorious  service.  They  were,  the  Rev.  Oren  K, 
Canfield,  of  the  class  of  1835,  who  died  May  7,  1842,  and 
Jonathan  Pennington  Alward,  class  of  1836,  who  died  April 
22,  1 841.  It  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Canfield  died  about  five 
months  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Sawyer. 

Undaunted  by  the  fate  of  his  predecessors,  Mr.  Sawyer 
addressed  himself  with  zeal  and  energy  to  his  appointed 
work,  learning  the  language  of  the  Kroo  people,  building  a 
mission-house,  inclosing  and  cultivating  a  garden,  opening  on 
his  own  premises  a  school  in  which  were  taught  30  boys  and 
another  in  which  8  or  10  girls  were  pupils,  and  preaching  the 
gospel,  with  the  help  of  an  interpreter,  wherever  he  found 
opportunity. 

But  his  work  was  soon  finished  and  he  was  called  to  his 
reward.  He  had  been  ill  from  the  loth  to  the  20th  of  No- 
vember, but  was  so  far  recovered  as  to  preach  on  Nov.  26th. 
A  few  days  afterwards  he  was  attacked  by  a  severe  chill,  fol- 
lowed by  a  high  fever,  which  yielded  to  no  remedies,  and 
terminated  in  his  death.  He  died  at  Settra  Kroo,  Western 
Africa,  Dec.  i,  1843,  after  living  there  not  quite  two  years, 
and  when  his  usefulness  and  his  influence  over  the  heathen 
around  him  seemed  to  be  rapidly  increasing. 


REV.  WILLIAM  EDWARD  SCHENCK,  A.M.,  D.D. 

[This  sketch  was  written  by  Major  H.  W.  B.  Woodhull, 
M.D.,  who  alone  is  responsible  for  everything  connected  with 
its  authorship.] 

William  Edward  Schenck  first  became  known  to  the 
writer  fifty-five  years  ago,  as  a  member  of  our  Freshman  Class 
in  1834.     His  parents  were  John  Conover  Schenck  and  Anne 


PRINCETON  COI.LEGE.  129 

Brooks  (Hutchinson)  Schenck,  and  he  was  born  March  29, 
18 19.  His  ancestors  came  from  Holland,  and  about  the  year 
1650  settled  on  the  western  end  of  Long  Island,  whence  his 
great-great-grandfather.  Garret  Schenck,  moved  in  1696  to 
Pleasant  Valley,  near  Holmdel,  Monmouth  County,  N.  J.;  and 
in  1737,  in  connection  with  his  brother-in-law  John  Koven- 
hoven  (now  Conover),  purchased  of  William  Penn  6,500  acres 
on  the  southeast  side  of  Stony  Brook,  just  opposite  Princeton, 
and  still  called,  from  its  former  proprietor,  Penn's  Neck.  The 
family  have  resided  in  Princeton  and  its  vicinity  ever  since. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  prepared  for  college,  first  at 
the  Princeton  Academy,  under  the  Rev.  Robert  Baird,  D.D., 
and  later  under  Prof  Robert  B.  Patton,  in  the  Edgehill  Sem- 
inary for  Boys,  at  Princeton.  He  entered  College  in  1834, 
being  one  of  the  original  twelve  who  joined  the  Freshman 
Class  at  its  very  beginning.  He  also  joined  the  Cliosophic 
Society.  His  habits  were  systematic,  exemplary  and  studious. 
He  was  quietly  industrious  and  resolute.  In  form  he  was  tall 
and  slender,  his  height  reaching  to  six  feet  one  and  a-half 
inches.  In  scholarship  his  final  standing  was  distinguished, 
being  the  sixth  in  the  class.  He  received  a  Commencement 
speech — the  next  one  after  the  Salutatories. 

In  those  days,  six  weeks  were  given  to  the  Seniors,  before 
Commencement,  for  preparing  and  committing  their  speeches. 
But  on  the  very  first  morning  of  freedom  from  College  duties, 
he  took  his  seat  in  Lawyer  Green's  office  and  began  on 
Blackstone's  Commentaries.  On  his  way  thither,  Professor 
Joseph  Henry  met  him  on  the  street  and  in  a  most  friendly 
way  said,  "  Well,  what  are  you  going  at  next  ?  What  book 
have  you  there?  "  Upon  being  told,  he  lifted  his  hands  and 
exclaimed,  "  What !  No  rest?  This  is  industry,  indeed  !  If 
you  keep  on  at  that  rate,  you  will  make  your  mark  in  the 
world."  This  pleasant  speech  of  the  great  man  was  very 
cheering  to  one  who  at  that  time  was  extremely  diffident  of 
his  own  abilities  and  no  way  sanguine  of  success  in  life. 

Within  the  last  two  years,  Ex-President  McCosh  remarked 
to   him,  upon   hearing   that  he   had  walked   25,000  miles   in 
attending  recitations,  etc.,  while  getting  his  education,  from 
9 


130  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

the  time  of  beginning  his  Latin  Grammar  until  he  graduated 
from  the  Theological  Seminary  :  "  Well,  that  agrees  precisely 
with  what  I  have  always  heard  of  you,  that  you  were  a  man 
of  untiring  industry  and  indomitable  perseverance." 

As  we  have  said,  on  leaving  College,  he  at  once  entered  the 
law  office  of  James  S.  Green,  Esq.,  in  Princeton,  and  devoted 
himself  to  the  study  of  law.  But  having  in  the  course  of  the 
following  year  made  a  public  profession  of  religion,  his  tastes 
and  wishes  underwent  a  change;  and,  after  studying  law  one 
year,  he,  in  1839,  entered  Princeton  Theological  Seminary, 
whence  he  was  graduated  after  a  full  three  years'  course,  in 
.1842.  He  spent  the  following  summer  in  missionary  work  in 
the  coal  regions  of  Schuylkill  and  Lehigh  Counties,  Pennsyl- 
vania. About  November  i,  1842,  he  began  to  preach  for  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Manchester,  Monmouth  (now  Ocean) 
County,  N.J.  (in  "The  Pines");  and  having  accepted  a  call 
thereto,  was  ordained  and  installed  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick,  February  28,  1843.  He  continued  to  be  pastor  at 
Manchester  until  1845,  when  he  took  charge  of  the  Hammond 
Street  Church,  a  new  enterprise  in  New  York  City,  where  he 
was  pastor  until  1848.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  received 
and  accepted  a  call  to  become  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Princeton,  N.  J.,  and  was  installed  as  pastor.  May 
7,  1848.  This  was  the  church  in  which  he  had  been  baptized 
in  infancy;  first  received  into  church  membership;  of  which 
his  uncle  had  been  pastor  until  his  death  many  years  before; 
and  in  which  his  father  had  been  a  ruling  elder. 

In  regard  to  his  call  to  this  church,  he  always  regarded  it 
as  a  marked  and  delightful  incident,  that  all  four  of  his  Semi- 
nary instructors — Dr.  Archibald  Alexander,  Dr.  Samuel  Mil- 
ler, Dr.  J.  Addison  Alexander  and  Dr.  Charles  Hodge,  as  well 
as  all  the  College  Professors  who  were  either  pew-holders  or 
members  of  that  church — cordially  and  earnestly  united  in 
the  call  to  him  to  become  its  pastor;  and  several  of  them 
wrote  to  him  urging  his  acceptance.  Among  these,  of  the 
College  Faculty,  were  President  Carhahan,  Prof  John  Torrey 
and  Prof  Stephen  Alexander.  The  last  was  one  of  his  ruling 
elders  during  his  pastorate.     While  Mr.  Schenck  was  pastor 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  131 

at  Princeton,  both  Dr.  Samuel  Miller  and  Dr.  Archibald  Alex- 
ander died,  and  he  visited  them  when  they  were  upon  their 
deathbeds.  Dr.  James  W.  Alexander,  who  wrote  and  pub- 
lished his  father's  life,  asked  Mr.  Schenck  to  write  out  a  full 
account  of  his  last  interview  with  his  father,  and  inserted  it  in 
his  volume.  The  same  account  was  inserted  by  the  Rev. 
William  B.  Sprague,  D.D.,  in  his  sketch  of  Dr.  Archibald 
Alexander,  in  his  great  work,  "The  Annals  of  the  American 
Pulpit."  Dr.  Sprague  once  said  to  Dr.  Schenck,  that  "  he 
would  depend  on  that  one  article  which  the  latter  had 
written,  for  posthumous  fame,  rather  than  on  the  many  volumes 
produced  by  some  widely-known  authors."  We  have  learned 
that  his  labors  as  pastor  at  Princeton  were  largely  blest.  At 
one  season  there  was  a  revival  in  which  about  ninety  were 
converted  and  gathered  in :  among  them  many  young  men 
and  lads,  of  whom  one  is  now  a  well-known  theological  pro- 
fessor, and  several  are  useful  ministers  of  the  Gospel. 

In  1852  Mr.  Schenck  was  induced,  by  a  wide  prospect  of  use- 
fulness earnestly  pressed  upon  him,  to  accept  an  invitation  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  to  fill  the  position  of  Superin- 
tendent of  Church  Extension  within  its  bounds.  His  sermon 
entitled  "  Church  Extension  in  Cities,''  was  prepared,  preached 
and  published  by  request  of  the  Presbytery,  in  connection  with 
this  work,  and  the  writer  of  this,  who  has  had  the  privilege  of 
reading  it,  is  not  surprised  to  learn  that  it  made  a  wide  and 
deep  impression,  and  produced  important  results  in  extending 
and  establishing  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia. 

But  in  1854,  Mr.  Schenck  was  elected  Secretary  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  of  the  General  Assembly, 
located  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  also  Editor  of  that  Board 
from  1862  to  1870.  Here  he  found  his  great  life-work,  and 
this  office  he  filled  for  over  thirty-two  years  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  the  whole  Presbyterian  Church,  until  serious 
and  long-continued  illness  led  him  to  resign  in  1886.  Since 
then  he  has  been  quietly  residing  in  Philadelphia.  While 
Secretary  he  helped  to  send  out  from  that  Board  over  30,000,- 
000  volumes  of  choice  religious  reading,  and  over  300.000,000 
pages  of  religious  tracts  and  Sunday  school  papers  all   over 


132  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

our  land.  When  his  resignation  as  Secretary  was  reported  to 
the  General  Assembly,  which  met  that  year  in  Minneapolis, 
Minn.,  that  body  adopted  a  most  flattering  resolution  of  ap- 
proval of  his  work,  regret  at  his  resignation,  and  sympathy 
and  earnest  prayer  for  his  restoration  to  health.  This  reso- 
lution was  unanimously  adopted  by  a  rising  vote,  a  rare  and 
distinguished  compliment. 

Still  another  rare  compliment  was  paid  him  while  he  was 
yet  a  pastor  in  Princeton.  Having  visited  some  relatives  in 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  he  was  invited  to  preach.  Not  long  after,  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  that  city  sent  him  a  unanimous 
call  to  become  its  pastor,  and  James  Buchanan,  afterwards 
President  of  the  United  States  and  then  a  pew-holder  in  that 
church,  was  so  anxious  for  his  acceptance,  that  he  offered  to 
the  church  a  gift  of  a  handsome  parsonage,  if  it  would  secure 
his  acceptance.  Some  years  later,  about  1853,  he  received  a 
call  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  (Old  School)  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  on  which  occasion  Dr.  J.  Addison  Alexander,  his 
regular  hearer  for  several  years,  when  consulted  by  the 
Brooklyn  elders,  told  them  that  Mr.  Schenck  was  "  the  best 
sermonizer  who  had  left  Princeton  Seminary  for  many  years." 
On  behalf  of  our  classmate,  I  hold  these  testimonies  as  fully 
equal  to  a  score  of  others  I  might  mention,  because  of  the 
high  source  from  which  they  came. 

In  1880,  Dr.  Schenck  traveled  extensively  in  Europe,  visit- 
ing France,  Italy,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Germany,  Holland, 
Belgium,  England,  Ireland  and  Scotland,  and  gathering  much 
valuable  information.  In  1885-87  he  traversed  California, 
Oregon,  Washington  Territory,  and  visited  Alaska. 

Dr.  Schenck  has  been  twice  married:  ist  at  Manchester, 
N.  J.,  April  18,  1843,  to  Jane  Whittemore  Torrey,  eldest 
daughter  of  William  Torrey,  Esq.,  of  New  York  City,  and 
niece  of  Professor  John  Torrey,  LL.D.,  of  Princeton  College, 

She  died  in  Philadelphia  March  9,  1856 2d.  At  Elizabeth, 

N.  J.,  April  3,  1863,  to  Mary  Blake  Kittle,  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
Andrew  N.  Kittle,  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church.  She  is  still 
living.  He  has  had  eight  children,  viz. :  i.  Adeline  Torrey, 
married  to  Benjamin  Strong  and  living  at  Montclair,  Essex 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  133 

County,  N.  J. 2d.  Anna  Brooks,  married  to  Matthew  Gris- 

wold  and  living  at  Erie,  Pa. 3d.  William  Edward  Schenck, 

Jr.,  who  died  in  1865  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  his  age. 4th. 

Jane  Torrey,  married  to  Rev.  William  B.  Waller,  A.M.  (Class 
of  1 869),  and  residing  at  New  Rochelle,  N.  Y. 5th.  Archi- 
bald Alexander  Schenck  (Class  of  1869),  married  Mary  M. 
Jackson  and  is  a  civil  engineer,  residing  at  Corvallis,  Oregon. 

6th.  Ella  Whittemore,  married  to  George  M.  Grant  and 

living  at  Summit,  Union  County,  N.  J. 7.  Samuel  Torrey 

Schenck,  married  Sarah  Evans  now  deceased,  and  resides  in 

Philadelphia,  and 8th.  Rev.  Harris  Rogers  Schenck,  (Class 

of  1876),  married,  i.  Minnie  Hollister 2.  Mary  Araminta 

Smith,  and  is  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Mt.  Kisco, 
N.  Y.     He  has  eighteen  grandchildren. 

The  following  near  relatives  of  Dr.  Schenck  appear  on  the 
roll  of  the  Alumni  of  Princeton  College  :  i.  The  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Conover  Schenck.  his  uncle  (Class  of  1805). 2.  George 

Washington  Schenck,  his  brother,  (183 1). 3.   John  Craig 

Schenck,  his  half-brother,  (1853). 4.  Archibald  Alexander 

Schenck,  his  son,  (1869). 5.  Rev.  Harris  Rogers  Schenck, 

his  son,  (1876). Oliver  Smith  Strong,  his  grandson  (1886), 

Fellow  in  Biology  two  years. 

Dr.  Schenck  received  the  honorary  degree  of  D.D.  from 
Jefferson  College,  Pa.,  in  1859.  He  was  elected  a  Director  of 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  in  1865,  and  has  been  Secre- 
tary of  that  Board  of  Directors  since  1870.  He  has  also  been 
Secretary  of  The  Alumni  Association  of  Princeton  Seminary 
since  its  organization  in  1872.  He  was  a  member  of  The  Board 
of  Trustees  of  The  General  Assembly  of  The  Presbyterian 
Church  from  1865  to  1887,  when  he  resigned,  and  was  Vice- 
President  of  that  Board  for  many  years.  He  has  been  a  Vice- 
President  of  The  American  Colonization  Society  since  1877  ; 
also  a  Vice-President  of  The  Pennsylvania  (Auxiliary)  Coloni- 
zation Society  since  1865.  He  was  Permanent  Clerk  of  The 
General  Assembly  (Old  School)  from  1862  to  1870;  and  was 
also,  from  1866  to  1869,  a  member  of  that  Assembly's  half  of 
The  Joint  Reunion  Committee  appointed  to  prepare  the  way 
for  the  Reunion  of  the  Old  School  and  the  New  School  parts 
of  The  Presbyterian  Church. 


134  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Dr.  Schenck  has  been  the  author  of  many  volumes  and 
other  publications,  the  principal  of  which  are:  i.  "Children 
in  Heaven ;  or,  The  Infant  Dead  Redeemed  by  the  Blood  of 
Jesus."    An  8vo  volume.     Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication. 

2.  "  Nearing    Home.     Comforts    and    Counsels  for  The 

Aged."     An   8vo.  volume.     Same  Publishers.  —  3.  ''  Aunt 

Fanny's  Home."     A  i6mo.  volume.     Same  Publishers. 4. 

"  A  Historical  Account  of  The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 

Princeton,  N.  J."     An  8vo.  pamphlet  of  78  pages. 5.  "  The 

Parting  Commendation."     A  Farewell  Sermon  preached  in 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Princeton,  N.  J. 6.  "  God 

our  Guide."  A  Sermon  first  published  in  "  The  Princeton 
Pulpit,"  an  8vo.  volume  edited  by  Prof.  John  T.  Dufifield,  D.D., 
and  afterwards  republished  both  in  English  and  German  as  a 

i2mo.  tract  by  The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication. 7. 

A  Sermon  Commemorative  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  H.  Rice, 
D.D.,  entitled,  "  The  Faith  of  Christ's  Ministers,  etc.,"  preached 
in  Princeton  First  Church,  July  20,  1856,  and  afterwards  pub- 
lished by  request  of  its  session. 8.  "  A  Memorial  Sermon 

on  The  Life  and  Labors  of  the  Rev.  Phineas  D.  Gurley,  D.D., 
late  Pastor  of  the  New  York  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church, 
Washington,   D.  C,"  preached  December   13,   1868,  in  that 

church,  and  published  by  request  of  its  session. 9.  "  A 

Discourse  on  Church  Extension  in  Cities,"  preached  April  6, 
1853,  by  appointment  of  The  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  and 

published  by  its  request. 10    "The  Fountain  For  Sin." 

In  German.  A  Sermon  preached  in  English  before  the  Synod 
of  Wisconsin  in  October,  1869;  translated  into  German  and 
published  in  that  language  as  a  i2mo.  tract  by  the  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Publication  at  the  request  of  ministers  of  that 
Synod. 11.  "The  General  Catalogue  of  Princeton  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  188 1."     Octavo,  330  pages. 12.  "  Necro- 

logical  Reports  of  The  Alumni  Association  of  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary  for  the  Years  1874  to  1884  inclusive. 
13.  "Annual  Reports  of  The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Pub- 
lication for  31   years,  1855   to    1886  inclusive. 14.  "The 

Biography  of  the  Princeton  College  Class  of  1838,"  containing 
this   sketch.     He  has   been  also   the  author  of  many  other 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  135 

publications  too  numerous  to  mention.  For  many  years,  at 
different  periods  of  his  life,  he  has  been  a  frequent  (but  gener- 
ally an  anonymous)  contributor  to  The  Neivark  Daily  Adverti- 
ser, The  Princeton  Press,  The  New  York  Observer,  The  Presby- 
terian,   and  various  other  newspapers,  secular  and  religious. 

Dr.  Schenck  w^s  present  at  our  memorable  class  meeting 
at  Princeton  on  June  20,  1888.  Indeed,  he  was  the  first  one 
to  propose  that  meeting  to  his  classmates,  and  actively  aided 
in  securing  their  attendance,  and  in  making  it  as  delightful  a 
gathering  as  it  was.  It  unanimously  elected  him  to  be  Class 
President,  and  requested  him  to  undertake  the  preparation  of 
this  Biography  of  the  Class. 

AMOS  SCUDDER,   ESQ. 

Amos  Scudder  was  the  only  son  of  Amos  and  of  Abigail 
(Phillips)  Scudder,  and  was  born  November  13,  1817,  in  Law- 
rence Township  (now)  Mercer  County,  N.  J.  His  father  died 
before  he  was  born.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at  Law- 
renceville  High  School,  under  the  Rev.  Isaac  V.  Brown,  D.D., 
and  Alex.  H.  Phillips,  A.M. 

Mr.  Scudder  entered  College  in  1835,  becoming  a  member 
of  the  Sophomore  Class  and  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was 
tall  and  rather  slender,  of  sedate  and  somewhat  grave  man- 
ner, orderly  and  regular,  but  moderate  in  his  devotion  to 
study,  and  at  graduation  his  grade  was  considerably  below 
the  average. 

After  graduating  he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  Law, 
in  the  office  of  the  highly  distinguished  Chancellor  Henry 
W.  Green,  of  Trenton,  N.  J.  Immediately  on  obtaining  li- 
cense he  established  himself  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  Louisville,  Ky. ,  in  1842.  But  his  career  was  a  short  one. 
After  practicing  only  three  years,  he  was  seized  with  a  violent 
fever,  then  quite  prevalent,  and  died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  Octo- 
ber 31,  1845,  in  the  twenty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  By  his 
mild  and  amiable  deportment  he  had  secured  the  'kindest 
feelings  of  his  professional  brethren.  Mr.  Scudder  never 
married. 


136  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 


LEONARD  WILLIAM  SEAMAN. 

Leonard  William  Seaman  was  born  in  New  York  City, 
May  14,  1820.  *  His  parents  were  William  and  Hannah 
(Weed)  Seaman.  During  his  college  course  and  afterwards 
his  family  resided  at  Jamaica,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.  He  was 
prepared  for  College  at  Union  Hall  Academy,  in  Jamaica, 
under  Henry  Onderdonk,  Jr. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  joining  the  Sopho- 
more Class  and  the  Clio  Society.  He  was  under  the  me- 
dium size,  of  graceful,  easy  carriage,  a  handsome  countenance 
and  dark  eyes,  a  bright  vivacious  manner,  gentle  and  amiable 
disposition  and  beloved  by  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him. 

On  leaving  college  he  entered  the  law  office  of  Foote  & 
Davies,  of  New  York  City,  with  whom  he  had  studied  about 
three  years,  and  was  about  ready  to  enter  upon  the  practice 
of  his  profession  when  he  was  seized  with  typhoid  fever,  of 
which  he  died,  October  31,  1841,  at  the  house  of  his  widowed 
mother,  in  Jamaica.  His  death  caused  deep  sorrow  through 
that  whole  community,  where  his  memor}'-  is  still  cherished 
by  all  with  whom  he  was  associated. 

He  was  never  married. 

The  following  tribute  is  from  the  pen  of  his  classmate.  Dr. 
H.  W.  B.  Woodhull : 

"  I  never  quite  understood  the  outcome  of  the  bright,  happy,  joyous 
temperament  that  was  so  marked  a  characteristic  of  my  friend  and 
room-mate  until  a  severe  attack  of  malarial  fever  made  it  necessary  that 
I  should  accompany  him  to  his  Long  Island  home.  There  I  found  a 
greeting  from  a  most  lovely  and  charming  family  group  of  grandmother, 
mother  and  five  sisters,  he  being  the  only  son  of  his  widowed  mother 
and  the  petted  darling  of  them  all.  Beauty,  grace,  culture  and  refine- 
ment, with  exquisite  taste  and  elegance  in  the  appointments  of  house, 
grounds,  etc.,  books,  music,  pictures,  flowers  and  the  angelic  spirit  of 
Heaven-born  love  dominated  all.  The  mystery  was  solved.  The  rare 
spell  and  beauty  of  this  home-life  had  become  a  part  of  his  own  being, 
and  no  passing  shadow  could  pale  its  brightness.  More  than  half  a 
century  has  passed  since  then,  and  my  mission  has  brought  me  to  hun- 
dreds of  homes,  but  that  one,  in  its  rare  perfection,  surpassed  them  all, 
aud  will  live  in  memory,  a  joy  forever.'' 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  137 


SAMUEL  SHERRERD,  A.M.,  ESQ. 

Samuel  Sherrerd,  son  of  John  Maxwell  Sherrerd,  Esq. 
(Class  of  1 8 12),  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Belvidere,  N.  J.,  and 
Sarah  (Browne)  Sherrerd,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April 
25,  18 19.  His  early  studies  were  gone  through  at  Belvidere, 
N.  ].;  then  he  was  for  a  while  a  student  in  Lafayette  College 
at  Easton,  Pa.;  whence  he  went  to  Princeton  College  in  1836, 
joining  either  the  Sophomore  advanced,  or  the  Junior  Class, 
and  the  Cliosophic  Society. 

Mr.  Sherrerd  was  fully  up  to  the  average  in  height ;  was 
broad-shouldered  and  strongly  built,  and  had  a  frame  better 
covered  with  adipose  matter  than  had  any  other  man  in  the 
class.  Hence  he  was  often  called  "  Our  Fat  Boy."  He  was 
extremely  pleasant  and  sociable ;  at  the  same  time  he  was 
serious,  thoughtful  and  studious.  At  the  end  of  his  course  he 
came  out  with  the  seventeenth  grade  of  his  class. 

Immediately  on  his  graduation  he  began  to  study  law,  first 
in  the  office  of  his  father,  afterwards  with  Judge  Henry  D. 
Maxwell  at  Easton,  Pa.  After  receiving  license,  he  practiced 
for  some  years  at  Easton  ;  afterwards  for  a  short  time  in  Mo- 
bile, Ala.  Subsequently  he  was  engaged  in  the  iron  business, 
first  in  Rockbridge  County,  Va.,  and  later  at  Scranton,  Pa., 
at  which  last-named  place  he  also  practiced  law.  Finally  he 
returned  to  Belvidere,  his  early  home,  and  established  him- 
self in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  remaining  there  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  from  inflammation  of  the  stomach, 
June  21,  1884.  Forming  a  part  of  his  epitaph  at  Belvidere 
are  the  words :  "  He  died  trusting  in  the  Saviour,  whose 
grace  he  found  to  be  sufficient  for  him." 

Mr.  Sherrerd  was  President  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  of  Warren  County,  N.  J.,  from  1874  to  1877;  was  for 
some  time  Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  Dickson  Manufac- 
turing Company  of  Scranton,  Pa.;  was  for  some  years  Post- 
master at  Belvidere,  N.  J.,  and  for  twenty-seven  years  a 
ruling  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  was  eminently 
and  in  every  relation  in  life  a  kind,  good  and  inflexibly  up- 


138  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

right  man.  One  who  knew  him  long  and  well  writes  of  him : 
"  He  was  endued  with  a  peculiarly  serene  Christian  confi- 
dence, which  intoned  his  whole  life,  making  him  a  charming 
companion  and  a  good  citizen.  He  excelled  in  mineralogical 
knowledge,  and  would  have  been  conspicuous  in  that  science 
had  not  circumstances  compelled  him  to  employ  himself 
otherwise." 

His  brother-in-law,  Morris  R.  Hamilton,  Esq.  (Class  of 
1839),  writes  of  him:  "He  was  one  of  the  best  men  I  ever 
knew;  a  really  cheerful  Christian,  without  any  asceticism  in 
his  composition.  It  was  delightful  to  be  with  him,  even  in 
his  last  moments,  when  he  was  perfectly  conscious,  resigned 
and  peaceful." 

Mr.  Sherrerd  married,  May  6,  1847,  Frances  Maria  Hamil- 
ton, only  daughter  of  Gen.  Samuel  R.  Hamilton,  of  Trenton, 
N.  J.  She  is  still  living  at  Scranton,  Pa.  They  had  three 
sons,  viz.:  i.  Alexander  Hamilton  Sherrerd,  who  married, 
first,  Anna  L.  Mattis,  of  Scranton,  Pa.;  second,  Emma  E. 
Wade,  of  Belvidere,  N.  J.,  and  is  now  a  widower  living  at 
Scranton,  Pa. 2.  John  Maxwell  Sherrerd,  married  to  Car- 
rie F.  Hawley,  of  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and  living  in  that  city. 3. 

Morris  Robeson  Sherrerd,  unmarried,  and  living  at  Scran- 
ton, Pa. 

As  has  been  already  stated,  Mr.  Sherrerd's  father  was  a 
graduate  of  Princeton  College  of  the  Class  of  1812.  His 
younger  brother,  John  B.  Sherrerd,  M.D.,  was  a  graduate  of 
the  Class  of  1839. 

JOHN  IRWIN  SMITH,  M.D. 

John  Irwin  Smith  was  a  son  of  Zebina  Smith,  M.D.,  and 
Sarah  (Towson)  Smith,  and  was  born  at  Williamsport,  Wash- 
ington Co.,  Md.,  Jan.  16,  1821.  He  attended  the  Preparatory 
Department  of  Mt.  Hope  College  (Frederick  Hall,  A.M., 
President)  between  the  years  1833  and  1835.  In  the  latter 
year  he  entered  Princeton  College,  joining  the  Sophomore 
Class  and  the  Whig  Society. 

Mr.  Smith  was  small  in  stature — one  of  the  smallest  of  the 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  139 

class — and  in  appearance  frail  and  delicate.  His  hair  was  of 
a  very  light  color,  his  complexion  pale,  and  his  vision  imper- 
fect, so  that  he  used  glasses  most  of  the  time.  But  his  mind 
was  unusually  clear  and  bright,  and  his  memory  remarkably 
tenacious.  He  was  also  a  diligent  student,  so  that  he  grad- 
uated in  the  i8th  year  of  his  age  with  the  3d  grade,  only 
Daniel  Johnson  and  L.  J.  Williams  being  in  advance  of  him. 

Mr.  Smith  studied  medicine  in  Baltimore  under  the  guid- 
ance of  Dr.  Nathan  R.  Smith,  and  went  with  him  two  winters 
to  Louisville,  Ky.  He  probably  received  his  degree  of  M.D. 
from  some  institution  in  Louisville  or  that  region.  He  com- 
menced the  practice  of  medicine  in  Williamsport,  his  native 
town,  and  continued  there  four  years  with  flattering  success. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  his  prac- 
tice on  account  of  a  severe  bronchial  affection  of  his  throat. 
He  then  removed  to  Baltimore,  where  he  entered  into  the 
wholesale  drug  business,  which  he  prosecuted  with  energy 
and  success. 

In  1858  he  was  elected  on  the  part  of  the  city  of  Baltimore 
a  Director  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  for  several  years,  and  the  duties  of  which  he 
discharged  with  great  ability  and  fidelity. 

In  1868  he  removed,  with  his  family,  to  Liberty,  Bedford 
Co.,  Va.,  where  he  resumed  the  drug  business,  being  at  the 
same  time  President  of  The  Liberty  Savings  Bank.  In  1873 
he  withdrew  from  the  drug  business  and  engaged  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  tobacco,  in  which  he  continued  until  his  death. 
He  died  suddenly  from  heart  disease  at  Liberty,  Bedford  Co., 
Va.,  July  26,  1885,  and  was  buried  in  the  old  family  burying 
ground  at  Williamsport,  Md. 

Dr.  Smith  was  for  many  years  a  prominent  and  useful 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

He  married,  Feb.  15,  1844,  at  Clifton,  near  Williamsport, 
Md.,  at  the  residence  of  her  father,  Martha  Shearer  Towson. 
She  died  in  Baltimore,  Jan.  29,  1865.  They  had  eight  chil- 
dren,   five   of  whom    survived   their   father,   viz.  : — i.  Sarah 

Louisa  Smith. 2.  Oscar  Boyd  Smith,  Tobacco  Manufacturer. 

3.  Leila  Cassin  Smith. 4.  Ida. May  Smith  (all  four  yet 


140  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 

living  at  Liberty,  Va. 5.  Martha  Shearer,  married  to  C.  W. 

Mitchell  and  residing  at  Lynchburg,  Va. 

Judge  M.  Davis,  of  Bedford  Co.,  Va.,  who  knew  Dr.  Smith 
long  and  intimately,  writes  of  him  :  "  Dr.  Smith  was  a  man  of 
strong  and  positive  convictions,  great  firmness,  quick  percep- 
tion, and  sound  and  discriminating  judgment,  scrupulously 
honest  and  correct  in  all  his  dealings,  and  of  great  moral 
worth  and  integrity.  These,  added  to  his  fine  intellectual 
culture,  his  high  sense  of  honor  and  true  courage,  formed  his 
true  character." 


WILLIAM  ASA  SMITH,  A.M. 

William  Asa  Smith  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
August  28,  1820.  His  parents  were  Ira  Smith,  long  time  a 
well-known  merchant  in  that  city,  and  Sarah  Wisner  (Steele) 
Smith.  His  preparatory  education  was  acquired  at  the  Law- 
renceville  (N.  J;)  High  School  under  the  Rev.  Isaac  V.  Brown, 
D.D.,  and  Alex.  H.  Phillips,  A.M.  He  entered  both  the 
Sophomore  Class  in  Princeton  College  and  the  Whig  Society 
in  1835. 

Mr.  Smith  was  about  the  average  in  size ;  and  was  one  of 
the  brightest,  pleasantest  and  most  agreeable  men  in  his  class; 
always  affable  yet  always  dignified ;  always  gentle  yet  always 
energetic.  He  was  one  of  the  finest  flute  players  whose  sweet 
melodies  were  ever  heard  within  the  walls  of  Princeton  College; 
and  one  of  the  most  skillful  gymnasts  whose  feats  had  ever 
been  witnessed  in  those  days  when  no  college  gymnasium,  as 
yet,  existed  in  America.  On  this  point  our  classmate,  Edward 
S.  Clarke,  writes:  "W.  A.  Smith  was  an  earnest  gymnast  in 
a  day  when  gymnastic  exercises  were  a  rare  thing.  Some  of 
the  feats  exhibiting  muscular  power,  that  he  performed  on  a 
pole  hung  across  his  room,  were  truly  marvellous.''  But  he 
was  not  an  intense  student,  and  his  final  grade  was  low. 

Smith  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  affair  known  as  "  T/te 
Rape  of  The  Cannon"  and  we  insert  here,  from  one  of  his 
letters,  some  interesting  details  of  that  enterprise.     He  says  : 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  141 

"  '  The  Rape  of  The  Cannon  '  originated  with  three  or  four  members 
of  our  class,  and  perhaps  one  or  two  of  another  class.  We  had  got 
together  about  twelve,  and  then  thought  it  best  to  make  a  college  af- 
fair of  it.  It  did  not  take  long  to  get  a  majority  of  the  boys  to  go  in. 
We  hired  a  man  who  furnished  the  truck  or  large  wagon.  The  cannon 
was  placed  on  the  truck,  as  it  could  not  be  suspended  below.  It  was 
about  midnight  when  we  arrived  at  the  Campus,  and  it  took  Dr.  Mac- 
lean, the  Vice-President,  to  dress  himself,  just  about  the  time  it  took 
the  wagon  to  go  from  the  gate  to  its  destination.  We  were  watching  for 
him,  and  we  unloaded  that  wagon  in  a  hurry.  On  arriving  he  told  us 
to  'take  it  back  right  away.'  At  the  time  he  spoke  the  cannon  was 
moving,  urged  by  a  rope.  I  had  just  time  to  grasp  him  and  pull  him 
out  of  danger,  when  the  cannon  struck  the  ground  where  he  had  stood. 
It  was  a  close  shave.  He  did  not  comprehend  his  danger,  as  he  im- 
mediately repeated  :  '  Take  it  right  up,  and  carry  it  away,'  which  order 
was  not  obeyed." 

On  graduating,  Mr.  Smith  began  to  study  medicine,  but  at 
the  end  of  five  months  relinquished  that  study  and  became  a 
merchant,  in  partnership  with  his  father  in  the  dry  goods 
jobbing  business,  in  which  he  continued  until  1861. 

Mr.  Smith  married  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  June  8,  1840, 
Louisa  M.  Bellows,  daughter  of  Charles  H.  Bellows  of  New- 
burgh, and  sister  of  our  classmate,  Charles  Theodore  Bellows. 
She  died  in  New  York  City,  August  31,  1887.  They  had  six 
children  of  whom  four  are  living,  viz. :   i.  Augusta,  married 

Charles  B.  Dahlgren,  and  lives  in  Trenton,  N.  J. 2.  William 

Steele  Smith,  married  Louisa  Ray,  daughter  of  Judge  Ray  of 

Texas,  and  lives  in  Montana. 3.  Sarah  Wisner,  unmarried, 

and  lives  in  Trenton,  N.  J. 4.  Harriet  Louisa,  married  to 

Alfred  S.  Holton,  M.D.,  and  lives  in  Cincinnati. 

He  has  twelve  grandchildren. 

A  younger  brother  of  Mr.  Smith,  Edward  Barnet  Smith, 
was  a  Princeton  graduate  of  1844.  He  was  a  lawyer  and 
afterwards  a  banker;  married  in  Michigan  a  Miss  Clarke,  and 
died  in  Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Smith  now  resides  with  his  eldest  daughter,  Mrs. 
Charles  B.  Dahlgren,  at  No.  201  Prospect  St ,  Trenton,  N.  J., 
where  he  is  enjoying  a  serene  old  age,  beloved  and  esteemed 
by  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  He  says :  '*  When 
living  in  Brooklyn  I  was  a  member  of  the  Rev.  Dr.   I    S. 


142  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Spencer's  church  (Presbyterian)  there,  and  now  attend  the 
Presbyterian  church  here.  I  still  play  the  flute  and  enjoy  it 
very  much.  I  gave  it  up  for  a  time  after  the  death  of  my  wife, 
but  have  again  lately  taken  it  up."  How  dearly  would  we 
love  once  more  to  hear  its  well- remembered  and  melodious 
notes !  Let  us  hear  the  recollections  of  another  classmate, 
Dr.  H.  W.  B.  Woodhull,  of  the  music  of  that  flute.  He  writes: 
"  Will  any  one  of  us  ever  forget  the  discourse  of  sweet  melo- 
dies that,  all  unexpected,  would  be  wafted  to  our  senses  like 
the  perfume-laden  zephyrs  of  '  Araby  the  Blest  ?  '  Hark  ! ! ! 
Smith  and  McKissack  playing  'The  Miller's  Daughter'  in  the 
third  entry  of  Old  North  College!  And  all  would  be  hushed 
to  drink  in  what  we  now  know  to  have  been  the  finest  flute 
performance  we  have  listened  to  in  all  these  fifty  years.  Smith, 
the  discoverer  and  promulgator  of  the  best  Suture  in  Gun- 
shot Wounds  of  the  Intestines  known  to  Modern  Surgery ! 
Smith,  afterwards  the  honored  merchant !  Smith,  now  the 
retired  and  beloved  merchant !  Smith,  the  genial,  buoyant, 
and  big-hearted !  What  richer  gift  than  a  happy  tempera- 
ment ?  For — in  hoc  signo — the  dew  of  his  youth  is  still  upon 
him." 

Mr.  Smith  was  one  of  the  fourteen  survivors  present  at  our 
notable  class-meeting  held  on  June  20,  1888,  with  face  almost 
unchanged,  and  step  almost  as  vigorous  as  ever,  but  wearing 
that  "  crown  of  glory  "  (Proverbs  16:  31)  which  so  admirably 
becomes  him.  May  long  life  and  great  happiness  yet  be  his, 
say  all  his  remaining  classmates  from  the  very  bottom  of  their 
hearts. 

HENRY  VAN  ARSDAI^E,  A.M.,  M.D. 

Henry  Van  Arsdale  was  born  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  September 
6,  1 8 19.  His  father  was  Elias  Van  Arsdale,  Esq.  (in  the  college 
catalogues  spelled  Van  Artsdale),  of  the  Class  of  1791,  and  a 
distinguished  member  of  the  New  Jersey  bar,  as  well  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  State  Bank  of  Newark.  His  mother  was  Mrs. 
Margaret  (Johnston)  Van  Arsdale.  It  is  not  known  where 
our  classmate  was  prepared  for  college. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  143 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  joining  the  Sopho- 
more Class  and  the  Clio  Society.  He  was  of  average  size ; 
had  a  remarkably  fresh  and  fair  complexion,  and  winning 
ways ;  was  gentle  and  modest  in  manner,  with  much  positive- 
ness  and  decision  of  character ;  was  fairly  studious,  and  at  his 
graduation  took  rank  in  scholarship  considerably  above  the 
average. 

Immediately  after  graduating  he  addressed  himself  to  the 
study  of  medicine,  entering  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  at  Philadelphia,  and  receiving 
therefrom  his  degree  of  M.D.  in  1841.  In  company  with  his 
two  college  classmates  and  intimate  friends,  Lewis  McKnight 
and  C.  C.  Van  Wyck,  he  then  further  pursued  and  finished  his 
medical  studies  in  Paris.  Soon  after  he  settled  down  to  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  the  city  of  New  York,  where  he 
soon  acquired  not  only  a  lucrative  practice  but  a  high  distinc- 
tion. We  will  let  his  younger  son,  W.  W.  Van  Arsdale,  M.D., 
himself  at  this  time  a  distinguished  physician  and  surgeon  of 
New  York  City,  describe  his  father's  professional  history.  He 
writes : 

"  My  father  was  a  practicing  physician.  He  filled  several  honorable 
offices  in  his  professional  career.  He  was  at  one  time  President  of  The 
Pathological  Society  of  New  York  ;  one  of  the  founders  and  original 
Fellows  of  The  Academy  of  Medicine  in  New  York ;  a  member  of  the 
Medico-Surgical  Society  of  that  city,  and  a  member  of  other  medical 
societies.  He  held  the  position  of  Vaccine  Physician  at  the  New  York 
Dispensary,  and  was  one  of  the  physicians  of  The  De  Milt  Dispensary, 

"  He  published  various  monographs  on  medical  subjects,  and  edited 
a  book  on  The  Microscope,  being  the  American  edition  of  Hassel's 
work.  He  was  an  authority  on  microscopical  pathology  and  anatomy, 
and  materially  advanced  these  sciences  by  his  work.  He  was  in  con- 
stant receipt  of  courtesies  from  the  most  prominent  members  of  the  pro- 
fession, both  here  and  abroad,  on  this  account. 

"  Personally  he  was  very  much  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him,  know- 
ing, as  he  did,  how  to  combine  gentleness  of  manner  with  the  strictest 
honesty  of  character." 

About  1853  Dr.  Van  Arsdale  retired  to  Morristown,  N.  J., 
and  resided  there,  and  practiced  there  also,  until  his  death. 
He  died  at  Morristown,  January  25,  1864,  of  a  cold  in  the 


144  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

bowels  caught  three  days  before,  in  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. 

Dr.  Van  Arsdale  married,  at  Morristown,  N.  J.,  December 
II,  1849,  Hester  Anne,  daughter  of  Charles  J.  Wetmore  of 
that  town.  She  is  still  living  in  New  York,  with  her  younger 
son.     He  left  two  sons,  viz. :   i.  Henry  Van  Arsdale,  married, 

and  doing  business  in   New  York  City. William  Waldo 

Van  Arsdale,  M.D.,  who  was  graduated  at  Leipsic,  Germany, 
and  is  now  an  eminent  practitioner  of  Surgery  in  New  York 
City. 

Several  members  of  Dr.  Van  Arsdale's  family  are  enrolled 
among  the  graduates  of  Princeton  College.  Besides  his 
father,  Elias  Van  Arsdale  *  (Class  of  1791),  already  mentioned, 
were  his  grandfather,  Jacob  Van  Arsdale  *  (then  spelled 
Vanartsdalen),  Class  of  1765  ;  and  his  three  uncles,  Elias  Van 
Arsdale,  Jr.  (1819),  Robert  Van  Arsdale  (1826),  and  Jacob 
Van  Arsdale  (1835). 

CORNELIUS  Ct  VAN  WYCK,  A.M.,  M.D. 

Cornelius  C.  Van  Wyck  was  born  at  Fishkill  Landing 
(now  called  Fishkill-on-Hudson),  where  the  family  were  pass- 
ing the  summer.  His  parents  were,  Peter  Schenck  Van 
Wyck,  of  New  York  City,  and  Sarah  Stewart  ( Wickham),  a 
native  of  South  Carolina.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at 
Fishkill,  N.  Y.,  by  his  father's  sister,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  J. 
H   Berrien. 

Mr.  Van  Wyck  entered  the  Junior  Class  at  Princeton  in 
1836,  and  became  a  Cho.  He  was  of  full  average  size,  and 
most  gentlemanly  appearance  and  manners.  A  peculiar  cast 
of  one  eye  did  not  destroy  the  pleasant  aspect  of  his  counte- 
nance. His  habits  were  social.  He  ranked  considerably 
below  the  average  of  his  class  in  scholarship. 

♦See  Notice  of  these  in  Dr.  Samuel  D.  Alexander's  "  Princeton  College  During 
The  Eighteenth  Century,"  pages  102  and  256. 

■f  Dr.  Van  Wyck  really  had  no  middle  name.  When  grown  to  manhood  he  him- 
self inserted  the  initial  C.  to  distinguish  him  from  other  Van  Wycks  who  had  the 
same  first  name. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  145 

He  began  the  study  of  medicine  immediately  after  his 
graduation,  placing  himself  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Mutter,  at 
the  same  time  he  attended  lectures  in  The  Medical  Depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in  Philadelphia,  from 
which  institution  he  received  his  degree  of  M.D.  in  1841. 
He  then  practiced  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  very  suc- 
cessful as  a  physician  and  highly  esteemed  as  a  man.  In  the 
fall  of  1848  he  removed  to  Tallahassee,  Florida,  where  he 
practiced  until  about  1850,  when  he  visited  Cuba,  afterwards 
also  visiting  Philadelphia.  He  finally  determined  to  locate 
himself  in  Cardenas,  Cuba,  and  removed  thither  about  1853. 
He  was  not  allowed  to  practice  there  for  some  time,  nor  until 
he  had  passed  a  strict  examination  by  the  niedical  authorities 
of  Cuba.     There  the  last  fifteen  years  of  his  life  were  spent. 

Dr.  Van  Wyck  died  at  Cardenas,  Cuba,  from  an  abscess  of 
the  liver,  Oct.  14,  1868,  and  was  interred  in  a  private  ceme- 
tery called  "  Eden  Park,"  at  Navajos,  Cuba.  His  death  was 
peaceful  and  happy.  He  was  strongly  attached  to  The  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church,  in  which  he  had  been  reared.  He  was 
well  versed  in  the  Bible,  and  during  his  last  days  quoted  con- 
stantly from  its  sacred  pages. 

Dr.  Van  Wyck  married,  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Sept.  26, 
1846,  Eliza  Ann  Forbes,  daughter  of  William  Henry  Forbes, 
of  Cardenas,  Cuba.  Both  father  and  daughter  were  natives 
of  Nassau,  New  Providence,  Bahama  Islands,  but  removed  to 
Cardenas  while  she  was  a  child  about  6  years  old.  She  was 
educated  and  married  in  Philadelphia,  and  some  years  later 
died  in  that  city.     Dr.  Van  Wyck  left  no  children. 


BENJAMIN  BOISSEAU  VAUGHAN,  A.M. 

Benjamin  Boisseau  Vaughan  was  born  in  Dinwiddle 
County,  Va.,  September,  5,  1819,  and  his  parents  were  Samuel 
Holt  Vaughan  and  Thyrza  (Boisseau)  Vaughan.  Being  left 
an  orphan  when  about  five  years  of  age,  he  was  taken  to  the 
home  of  his  maternal  grandfather,  Benjamin  Boisseau,  in  the 
city  of  Petersburg,  Va.,  where  he  was  brought  up.  On  his 
10 


146  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

mother's  side  he  was  a  descendant  of  Huguenots  who  fled  to 
this  country  after  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  His 
preparation  for  college  was  at  the  best  schools  of  that  day  in 
Petersburg,  and  he  often  spoke  of  his  old  teacher,  Jonathan 
Smith,  in  terms  of  the  greatest  admiration  and  affection. 

Mr.  Vaughan  joined  the  Junior  Class  of  Princeton  College 
in  1836,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was 
rather  under  the  average  height  and  slender  in  form,  having  a 
brown  complexion  and  dark  eyes.  In  manner  he  was  cheer- 
ful, yet  staid ;  modest,  yet  firm  ;  and  social,  yet  dignified.  He 
was  one  of  the  best  students  in  the  class  and  regular  and  un- 
failing in  the  performance  of  every  duty.  He  graduated  with 
the  high  rank  of  fifth  in  his  class. 

After  graduation  he  addressed  himself  to  the  study  of  law 
and  took  the  law  course  at  Harvard  University,  where  he  en- 
joyed the  tuition,  among  others,  of  the  distinguished  Justice 
Story,  by  whom  he  was  often  commended.  After  his  gradua- 
tion in  law,  he  settled  in  his  native  county  and  practiced  that 
profession  for  a  short  time.  Then  he  became  interested  in 
politics  and  was  elected  to  represent  Dinwiddie  County  in  the 
Virginia  Legislature.  This,  together  with  impaired  health, 
led  him  to  abandon  his  profession  and  devote  his  time  and 
attention  to  his  plantation.  There,  amid  the  ease  and  quiet  of 
the  old  Virginia  planter  of  ante-bellum  days,  he  sought  that 
rest  and  freedom  from  excitement  which  he  hoped  would 
restore  him  to  health.  In  1852  he  removed  to  Petersburg  in 
order  to  secure  better  educational  facilities  for  his  children. 
Here  he  became,  by  State  appointment.  Inspector  of  Tobacco. 
He  was  also  prominent  in  municipal  affairs,  serving  the  city 
for  many  years  in  its  Common  Council.  His  activities  during 
the  civil  war  were  confined  to  some  little  home  guard  duty,  as 
he  had  no  taste  whatever  for  military  affairs. 

Mr.  Vaughan  died  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  October  18,  1881, 
aged  62  years.  His  remains  rest  in  Blandford  Cemetery.  He 
was  never  a  communicant  in  any  church,  but  his  preference 
and  his  intellectual  beliefs  drew  him  to  the  Presbyterian,  of 
which  his  family,  with  one  exception,  were  all  members.  He 
was  recognized  by  all  his  fellow- citizens  as  a  man  of  unusual 
intellectual  ability  and  culture. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  147 

Mr.  Vaughan  was  married,  January  4,  1842,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Ellen  Vaughan,  daughter  of  James  Vaughan,  of  the  Amelia 
County  family  of  that  name,  and  having  no  blood  relationship 
to  him.  This  lady  still  survives  him.  They  had  six  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  attained  majority,  viz. :    i.  Lemuel  Holt 

Vaughan,  M.D.,  lives  in  Amelia  County,  Va. 2.  Benjamin 

Boisseau  Vaughan,  Jr.,  a  business  man  and  President  of  the 
National  Bank  of  Petersburg. 3.  Sarah  Eugenia,  who  mar- 
ried Captain  Wm.  H.  Parham,  and  died  September   19,  1875, 

leaving  three  children. 4.  Ada   Virginia,  married   Walter 

N.  Jones,  of  Petersburg,  Va.,  and 5.  Lelia  Jane,  married 

J.  Gray  McCandlish,  and  lives  at  Warrenton,  N.  C.  Our  de- 
ceased classmate  now  has  twenty-one  grandchildren  living. 

B,  B.  Vaughan,  Esq.,  son  of  our  classmate,  writes :  "  It  al- 
ways gave  my  father  great  pleasure  to  revert  to  his  college 
days  at  '  old '  Princeton.  His  College  and  Society  diplomas 
were  framed  to  be  kept  as  heir-looms,  but  they  were  lost  dur- 
ing the  war,  when  his  furniture  was  burned  in  the  siege  of 
Petersburg.  Nothing  in  his  latter  years  gave  him  more  real 
pleasure  than  relating  his  college  experiences  and  friendships 
to  his  children  and  grandchildren." 


HON.  JAMES  WAI^TER  WALL,  A.M. 

James  Walter  Wall  was  born  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  May  26, 
1820.  He  was  the  only  son  of  Hon.  Garret  D.  Wall,  U.  S. 
Senator  from  New  Jersey,  from  1835  to  1841,  and  of  Mary 
(Rhea)  Wall.  His  preparation  for  college  was  acquired  under 
Dr.  Muhlenberg  at  Flushing,  Long  Island. 

Mr.  Wall  joined  either  the  Sophomore  Class  half-advanced 
or  the  Junior  Class,  at  Princeton  College,  in  1836,  and  became 
a  Clio.  He  was  of  medium  size;  lithe  and  agile  in  his  gait 
and  movements;  with  a  pale  and  intellectual  countenance; 
ardent,  impulsive  and  sometimes  rash ;  a  great  reader  and  an 
eloquent  speaker,  but  negligent  of  his  studies.  At  graduation, 
his  rank  was  very  near  the  foot  of  his  class.  He  was  also,  in 
his  college  days,  an  ardent  politician  on  the  Democratic  side. 


148  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

(See  a  reminiscence  of  this  in  the  sketch  of  his  classmate,  John 
M.  Eager,  in  this  work). 

On  graduating,  he  addressed  himself  at  once  to  the  law, 
partly  under  his  father;  partly  under  his  brother-in-law.  Gov. 
Peter  D.  Vroom ;  and  partly  under  John  M.  Sherrerd,  Esq., 
of  Belvidere,  N.  J.  He  was  licensed  to  practice  in  1841,  and 
to  act  as  counsellor  in  1844.  He  commenced  his  practice  in 
Trenton,  N.  J.,  and  continued  there  until  1848,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Burlington,  N.  J.  In  1850  he  was  elected  Mayor  of 
Burlington,  and  held  that  office  several  years.  He  was  the 
Democratic  candidate  for  Congress  from  the  Second  District 
in  1856  and  1858.  In  1863  he  was  elected  by  the  New  Jersey 
Legislature  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by 
the  death  of  the  Hon.  John  R.  Thompson,  and  occupied  a  seat 
there  from  January  14,  1863,  to  March  3,  of  the  same  year. 
While  a  member  of  the  Senate  he  delivered  several  able 
speeches  upon  measures  then  presented  to  that  body.  During 
the  civil  war,  a  letter  written  by  him,  severely  criticising  the 
suppression  of  certain  newspapers  by  Montgomery  Blair,  then 
Postmaster-General,  caused  his  arrest  and  confinement  for  a 
short  time  in  Fort  Lafayette,  near  New  York  City,  by  order 
of  Secretary  Seward. 

Col.  Wall — we  have  been  unable  to  learn  how  he  acquired 
this  title  which  he  wore  for  many  years,  and  presume  that  it 
was  a  merely  honorary  colonelcy — removed  from  Burlington 
to  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  in  1868,  and  resided  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred,  from  peritonitis,  June  9,  1872.  His  remains 
lie  in  St.  Mary's  P.  E.  Churchyard,  at  Burlington. 

He  married,  April  28,  1842,  Susan  T.  Pratt,  daughter  of 
Edmond  Pratt,  of  Philadelphia.  This  lady  survived  him,  and 
still  lives  at  Elizabeth,  N.  J.  They  had  four  children,  all 
daughters,  as  follows:   i.  Mary  Rhea,  married  Robert  T.  Hoy, 

and  is  deceased. 2.  Annie  Campbell  Wall,  and   3.   Julia 

Pratt  Wall,  both  unmarried  and  living  with  their  mother  at 

Elizabeth,    N.  J. 4.  Amanda  Pratt,  married  Kenderton  S. 

Brewster  and  is  deceased. 

Had  Col.  Wall  strictly  followed  his  profession,  the  gift  of 
eloquence  with  which  he  was  endowed,  would  doubtless  have 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  149 

gained  him  eminence,  but  his  great  fondness  for  Uterature 
caused  him  to  devote  a  large  part  of  his  time  and  talents  to 
literary  pursuits.  In  1854  he  visited  Europe  and  after  his 
return  published  a  volume  entitled  "  Foreign  Etchings,  or,  A 
Visit  to  The  Old  World's  Pleasant  Places."  For  years  he  was 
a  regular  contributor  to  TJie  Knickerbocker  Magazine.  He 
was  also  an  occasional  contributor  to  Bentleys  Magazine. 
An  article  published  in  1855  in  The  Edinburgh  Review. 
entitled  "  The  Curiosities  of  The  Roman  Catacombs,"  was 
from  his  pen.  Many  addresses  of  his  on  public  occasions 
were  published,  and  he  was  a  constant  writer  for  the  news- 
paper press. 


JOElv  THOMAS  WATKINS,  ESQ. 

Joel  Thomas  Watkins  was  born  in  Mecklenburg  County, 
Va.,  January  20,  18 19,  and  was  the  son  of  Joel  and  Judith 
(Daniel)  Watkins.  Before  coming  to  Princeton  he  was  some 
time  a  student  in  Hampden  Sidney  College,  Va.  He  entered 
the  Junior  Class  in  Princeton  College  in  1836,  and  became  a 
Clio. 

Mr.  Watkins  was  a  man  of  large,  stout  and  vigorous 
frame,  with  a  pure  and  rosy  complexion,  a  smiling  coun- 
tenance— every  way  a  handsome  man.  He  was  social,  agree- 
able and  fairly  studious,  graduating  with  a  rank  a  little  above 
the  average. 

Immediately  on  leaving  Princeton  he  began  to  study  law 
in  the  office  of  Samuel  L.  Venable,  Esq.,  and  began,  in  1841, 
to  practice  at  Boydton,  in  his  native  county,  where  he  was 
highly  respected  and  esteemed,  and  had  the  finest  prospects 
of  success.  But,  alas !  his  work  was  of  short  continuance. 
He  was  violently  attacked  by  a  fever,  which  brought  on  a 
softening  of  the  brain,  and  he  died  at  Boydton,  February  i, 
1848,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years.  He  was  not  only  for 
his  years  a  good  lawyer,  he  was  also  an  eminently  good  man. 
He  was  for  some  years  not  only  a  member,  but  also  a  ruling 
elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.     Besides  his  name  and  the 


150  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

mere  dates  of  his  birth  and  death,  the  whole  of  his  epitaph — 
an  eloquent  and  efficient  one — is  this  :  "He  trusted  in  God." 

Mr.  Watkins  married,  March  16,  1842,  Sallie  Tarry,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  Tarry,  of  Mecklenburg  County,  Va.  This 
lady  survived  him,  married  twice,  and  now  lives  a  third  time 
a  widow,  under  the  name  of  Mrs.  Sallie  Harrison,  at  Wil- 
liamsboro',  Vance  County,  N.  C.  They  had  two  children, 
viz.:  I.  Lucy  Tarry,  married  Hon.  E,  B.  Goode,  of  Mecklen- 
burg County,  where  she  still    lives. 2.  Judith  Christian, 

married  Walter  L.  Bullock,  and  lives  at  Williamsboro',  Vance 
County,  N.  C. 


REV.  SAMUEL  G.  WEEKS,  A.M. 

Samuel  G.  Weeks  was  born  in  Strafford  County,  N.  H., 
in  the  year  1809.  The  most  diligent  inquiry  has  failed  to 
learn  anything  else  about  his  pre-collegiate  history. 

Mr.  Weeks  entered  Princeton  College  in  1834,  being  one 
of  the  "original  twelve"  who  formed  our  Freshman  Class  at 
its  very  start.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society,  and 
was  one  of  those  oddities  who  turn  up  now  and  then  in  col- 
lege life.  He  was,  to  begin,  ten  years  older  than  a  large  ma- 
jority of  his  classmates ;  was  rather  above  average  height, 
slender  and  flexible  and  had  sandy  hair  and  sandy  complex- 
ion. His  whole  appearance  and  manner  seemed  to  intimate 
that  he  had  emerged  from  a  school-house  in  Strafford  County, 
which  is  on  the  borders  of  Maine,  where  he  had  been  wield- 
ing a  birchen  sceptre  during  those  ten  years.  One  of  our 
most  vivid  recollections  of  him  is,  that  he  always  appeared 
in  the  Recitation  Room  wearing  a  shabby  pair  of  slippers, 
turned  down  at  the  heel — the  only  pair  of  slippers  that  mem- 
ory can  recall  as  having  ever  appeared  in  that  revered  place. 
It  seems  but  as  yesterday  that  we  saw  those  slippers  and 
their  wearer  glide  to  the  blackboard  when  he  was  called  on  to 
recite,  while  Prof  Dod's  piercing  black  eyes,  full  of  inquisi- 
tive humor,  were  fixed  upon  him.  He  was  always  grave,  but 
always  ready  to  be  friendly  when  his  friendship  was  sought. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  151 

He  glided  in  a  quiet,  cat-like  way  through  the  four  years  of 
his  college  course,  and  at  its  end  his  final  grade  was  a  little 
below  the  average. 

After  leaving  college  he  taught  somewhere  one  year  ;  then 
re-appeared  in  Princeton,  and  entered  the  Theological  Semi- 
nary, and  spent  in  it  three  years,  graduating  regularly  in  1842. 
Then  going  westward  he  entered  upon  the  work  of  the  sa- 
cred ministry  in  Michigan,  where  he  labored  one  or  two 
years  as  Stated  Supply  at  Leonidas  Presbyterian  Church, 
near  Cowan's  Mills.  In  1844  he  was  preaching  as  Stated 
Supply  to  Haw  Patch  Church,  Wolf  Lake,  Indiana.  In 
1844-46  he  preached  as  pastor  to  three  churches — Wolf 
Lake,  Haw  Patch  and  Warsaw,  in  Indiana,  being  a  member 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Fort  Wayne. 

Mr.  Weeks  died  at  Wolf  Lake,  Noble  County,  Ind.,  May 
2r,  1846,  of  an  intermittent  fever.  His  last  prayer  was: 
"  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  His  wife's  name 
was  Mrs.  Mary  W.  Weeks.  Her  maiden  name,  and  the 
names  of  her  parents,  and  whether  they  had  any  children,  are 
not  known. 

Mr.  Weeks  was  a  plain  man  and  a  somewhat  odd  man,  but 
a  truly  faithful  and  conscientious  one.  Doubtless  he  did  his 
work  well,  and  is  receiving  his  reward. 


HON.  WII.I.IAM  GUSTAVUS  WHITELKY,  A.M. 

William  Gustavus  Whiteley  was  born  at  Newark,  Del., 
August  7,  1 8 19.  His  parents  were  Henry  Whiteley  and 
Katharine  (Whiteley)  Whiteley.  He  was  prepared  for  college 
in  The  Preparatory  Department  of  Delaware  College  at  his 
native  town.  His  home  while  in  Princeton  College  was  at 
Wilmington,  Del. 

Mr.  Whiteley  probably  entered  Princeton  College  in  1837, 
joining  the  Junior  Class  after  January  of  that  year,  as  his  name 
does  not  appear  in  the  College  catalogue  of  1836-7.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  of  full  average  size, 
well-formed  and  active,  taking  a  prominent  part  on  the  play- 


152  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

ground.  As  a  student,  and  for  his  years,  he  was  grave  and 
dignified,  but  always  courteous  and  socially  inclined.  He 
soon  acquired  among  his  companions  the  sobriquet  of  "Judge  " 
— a  foreshadowing  of  honors  soon  to  come.  He  was  a  faithful 
student,  and  at  his  graduation  ranked  as  one  of  the  highest, 
third  of  his  class. 

Having  graduated,  he  at  once  began  the  study  of  law  in 
the  office  of  the  Hon.  James  A.  Bayard  at  Wilmington,  Del,, 
and  having  received  license  in  1841,  began  to  practice  in  that 
town.  He  continued  there  until  1853,  when  he  removed  to 
New  Castle,  Del.,  where  he  practiced  until  1870;  then  he 
returned  to  Wilmington,  continuing  there  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life. 

In  1856  Mr.  Whiteley  was  elected  a  member  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  of  the  United  States,  and  in  1858  was 
re-elected  for  a  second  term,  continuing  in  Congress  four 
years.  He  was  also  for  some  years  Prothonotary  of  the 
Superior  Court  of  Delaware  (of  which  he  was  afterwards 
judge) ;  Mayor  of  Wilmington ;  Census  Commissioner  for 
Delaware  in  1880;  and  held  a  number  of  minor  honorable 
appointments.  In  1884  he  was  made  Judge  of  the  Superior 
Court  of  the  State  of  Delaware  and  {ex  officio)  of  the  Orphans' 
Court  also.  He  wrote  a  work  on  "  The  Revolutionary  Soldiers 
of  Delaware,"  which  was  published  by  the  State. 

Judge  Whiteley  died  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  April  25,  1886, 
of  induration  of  the  liver.  His  health  had  been  failing  at 
least  a  year  before  his  death  :  his  last  illness,  however,  was  of 
only  two  or  three  weeks  duration.  He  was  not  connected 
with  any  church,  but  was  in  preference  a  Presbyterian,  of 
which  body  his  family  were  members.  He  was  buried  at 
Bridgeton,  N.  J.,  near  his  two  daughters  who  had  preceded 
him,  and  in  the  burial-ground  of  his  wife's  family. 

Judge  Whiteley  married,  June  13,  1844,  Nancy  P.  Elmer, 
daughter  of  William  Elmer,  M.D.,  of  Bridgeton,  N.  J.  She 
survived  him  and  is  still  living  in  Wilmington.  They  had  six 
children,  viz.:    i.    Mary  Elmer,  died    in    1868,  aged  about 

twenty-three  years. 2.  Elizabeth  Eugenia,  died  in   185c* 

aged   about   twelve   years. 3.  Henry   Whiteley,   an   iron 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  153 

merchant,  living  in  Philadelphia. 4.  Margaret  Potter,  mar- 
ried Lewis  P.  Bush,  Jr.,  and  lives  in  Wilmington. 5.  Wil- 
liam Gustavus  Whiteley,  Jr.,  in  the  iron  business,  unmarried, 

and  lives  also  in  Wilmington. 6.  Charles  Ewing  Elmer 

Whiteley,  Treasurer  of  The  Serpentine  Marble  Co.,  is  un- 
married and  lives  in  the  same  place. 

Judge  Whiteley  was  in  the  front  rank  of  his  profession  in 
his  native  State.  In  politics  he  was  a  life-long  Democrat,  but 
held  the  respect  and  good  will  of  both  parties.  His  great 
knowledge  and  sound  judgment  gave  great  weight  to  his 
opinions  ;  while  his  geniality  and  other  personal  traits  made 
him  a  favorite  with  the  people.  As  a  husband  and  a  father 
he  was  kind  and  loving.     He  died  universally  regretted. 


LEWIS  JEFFERY  WILLIAMS,  A.M.,  M.D. 

Lewis  Jeffery  Williams,  son  of  William  and  Mary 
(Jefifery)  Williams,  was  born  at  Havre  de  Grace,  Md.,  Oct.  14, 
1 819,  and  was  prepared  for  college  under  the  tuition  of  the 
Rev.  Reuben  H.  Davis,  at  Bel  Air,  Harford  Co.,  Md. 

Mr.  Williams  entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  joining 
the  Sophomore  Class  and  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  above 
the  average  size  somewhat  and  strongly  built.  In  manners  he 
was  modest,  retiring,  quiet ;  yet  self-possessed,  firm  and  fear- 
less. He  was  as  regular  as  clock-work  in  his  attendance 
upon  recitations  and  all  other  college  duties ;  was  also  an 
intense  and  absorbed  student,  and  came  out  at  the  end  of  his 
course  with  the  second  grade — second  only  to  Daniel  John- 
son. It  was  a  beautiful  thing  to  hear  him  recite.  He 
marched  through  the  difficulties  of  his  way  like  a  man  who 
was  firmly  and  consciously  placing  his  foot  squarely  at  every 
step  upon  a  block  of  granite. 

On  graduating,  he  immediately  engaged  in  the  study  of 
medicine  and  received  his  degree  of  M.D.  in  1841  from  The 
University  of  Pennsylvania  in  Philadelphia.  Within  the 
twelvemonth  following  he  received  from  Government  an  ap- 
pointment in  connection  with  the  Navy.     Thenceforth  to  the 


154  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

end  of  his  life  he  was  identified  with  that  arm  of  our  national 
defence.  We  know  no  better  way  of  presenting  his  history, 
in  the  absence  of  other  information,  than  by  quoting  a  very 
condensed  statement  of  it  obtained  from  a  volume  of  navy 
records  : 

"  Born  in  Maryland,  Oct.  10,  18 19.  Appointed  Assistant  Surgeon,  U. 
S.  Navy,  Jany.  25,  1842.  Served  on  U.  S.  Sloop  Falmouth,  Home 
Squadron,  1842-4;  Schooner  Phcenix,  1844;  Sloop  Yorktown,  Coast  of 
Africa,  1844-6;  Brig  Washington,  1847;  Brig  Porpoise,  Coast  of  Africa, 
1847-8;  Sloop  Jamestown,  Mediterranean  Squadron,  1848-50;  Naval 
Hospital,  New  York,  1850;  Steamer  John  Hancock,  1851  ;  Steam  Frig- 
ate Mississippi,  East  India  Squadron,  1852-3 ;  Sloop  Saratoga,  East 
Indies,  1853-4;  Naval  Hospital,  New  York,  1855. 

"Commissioned  as  Surgeon  Aug.  30,  1856;  Sloop  Cyane,  Pacific 
Squadron,  1858-60;  Navy  Yard,  New  York,  1861-63;  Steam  Sloop 
Richmond,  West  Gulf  Squadron,  1863-5  ;  Battle  of  Mobile  Bay,  Aug.  5, 
1864;  Navy  Yard,  Washington,  1866-9;  Member  Board  of  Examiners, 
Washington,  1871-2;  Naval  Laboratory,  New  York,  1872-8. 

"  Promoted  to  the  grade  of  Medical  Insp(ctor  March,  '71,  and  to  that 
oi  Medical  Director  M.a.y  28,  1871.  Placed  on  the  Retired  List  of  the 
Navy  Oct.  10,  I881,  as  Medical  Director,  under  the  law  retiring  all 
officers  of  the  Navy  on  attaining  to  62  years  of  age.  Died  at  Baltimore, 
Md.,  April  8,  1888,  in  his  69th  year." 

He  died  of  heart  disease. 

Dr.  Williams  married,  June  19,  1850,  Harriet  H.  Archer, 
youngest  daughter  of  Hon.  Stevenson  Archer  (class  of  1805), 
late  Chief  Justice  of  Maryland  and  Representative  in  Con- 
gress, who  resided  near  Churchville,  Md.  This  lady  died 
Jan.  29,  1 87 1.  They  left  two  sons  and  a  daughter.  Both 
the  sons  are  graduates  of  Princeton  College.  His  children 
are:  i.  Stevenson  Archer  Williams,  AM.,  class  of  1870, 
married  Ariel  E.  Streett,  and  received  the  degree  of  LL.B. 
from  the  University  of  Maryland  in  1873. 2.  Mary  Wil- 
liams, unmarried. 3.  Frederick  Rodgers  Williams,  A.M., 

class  of  1882,  and  received  the  degree  of  LL.B.  from  the 
University  of  Maryland  in  1885.  All  three  of  them  reside  in 
Bel  Air,  Md. 

Dr.  Williams  performed  faithfully  and  well  every  duty  of 
life,  public  and  private,  and  was  held  in  affection  and  honor 
by  all  who  knew  him. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  155 


SAMUEI.  GERAI.DUS  WIIvWAMS. 

Samuel  Geraldus  Williams  was  born  at  Louisburg, 
Franklin  County,  N.  C,  December  6,  1817.  His  father  was 
William  Person  Williams ;  his  mother,  Louisa  Matilda  Caro- 
line (Toole)  Williams.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at  the 
Louisburg  Academy ;  but  afterwards  spent  one  year  at  the 
University  of  North  Carolina,  at  Chapel  Hill,  before  going  to 
Princeton. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1835,  becoming  a  member 
of  the  Sophomore  Class  and  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He 
was  a  little  under  the  medium  size,  and  was  not  specially 
prepossessing  in  face  or  appearance.  In  dress  he  was  negli- 
gent and  often  slovenly,  and  walked  with  a  peculiar  swinging 
gait.  He  was  an  incessant  tobacco-chewer,  and  was  indolent 
in  his  habits  and  rather  proud  than  otherwise  of  his  indolence. 
But  he  was  warm-hearted,  often  genial,  and  when  he  chose  to 
be,  exceedingly  attractive  and  agreeable.  And  he  was  de- 
cidedly the  genius  of  his  class.  He  had  a  brilliant  mind, 
which  could  sparkle  and  corruscate  on  the  slightest  provoca- 
tion. He  had  a  rare,  gift  of  eloquence,  and  was  a  superb 
writer,  his  productions  abounding  with  real  thought-gems. 
He  could  make  a  fine  recitation  on  any  subject  with  less  study 
than  any  man  we  ever  knew.  He  came  out  at  the  end  of  his 
course  with  the  tenth  grade.  With  the  application,  industry 
and  perseverance  possessed  by  others  of  less  brilliant  minds,  he 
might  have  taken  the  first.  And  when  he  graduated,  all  hoped 
to  hear  great  things  of  him  in  the  future.     Alas ! 

On  leaving  college  he  at  once  entered  on  the  study  of  law, 
probably  in  the  office  of  the  Hon.  William  H.  Haywood,  of 
Raleigh,  N.  C.  It  has  been  almost  impossible  to  learn  any- 
thing about  his  practice  of  his  profession.  A  gentleman 
residing  in  Louisburg,  Mr.  Williams'  native  place,  writes : 
"  He  studied  law,  but  I  am  not  certain  that  he  ever  practiced. 
I  think,  however,  that  he  did."  Our  classmate's  sister  says  : 
"  Soon  after  leaving  college  he  was  married,  and  removed  to 
Alabama  to  practice  law.     Thence  he  went  to  Baltimore,  Md., 


156  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

and  was  connected  in  some  way  with  a  newspaper."  If  he 
practiced  law  at  all,  it  was  for  a  short  time,  and  his  work  as  a 
lawyer  has  left  no  trace  behind  it.  The  flattering  hopes  ex- 
cited by  the  brilliancy  of  his  intellect  were  never  realized.  We 
fear  that  the  cause  of  this  failure  may  be  found  in  a  few  words 
written  in  a  letter  from  a  gentleman  in  North  Carolina,  who 
says,  "  he  was  not  happily  married,  drank  badly ^  and  soon 
died,"  Even  when  he  was  in  college,  many  of  his  ardent 
admirers  feared  that  his  future  would  be  wrecked  by  an  indul- 
gence in  strong  drink. 

Mr.  Williams  died  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  May  28,  1853.  His 
remains  were  taken  to  his  native  place  and  interred  in  the 
Ruffin  burial  ground,  about  one  and  a-half  miles  from  Louis- 
burg. 

He  married,  August  4,  1840,  Mary  H.  Ruffin,  daughter  of 
Col.  John  Ruffin,  who  resided  near  Louisburg,  N.  C.  This 
lady  died  June  18,  1878.  They  had  but  one  child,  a  daughter, 
named  Mary  Louisa  Elizabeth  Williams,  who  survived  her 
father  but  one  year,  and  died,  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  her 
age,  June  16,  1854. 

We  will  close  this  sad  story,  by  inserting  a  tribute  to  his 
memory  from  our  honored  classmate,  Dr.  Henry  W.  B.  Wood- 
hull : 

"  It  was  pretty  generally  admitted,  I  believe,  that  Samuel  G.  Williams 
had  the  most  brilliant  mind  of  any  one  of  our  '  75.'  He  was  well-liked, 
quiet  and  unpretentious,  but  rather  indolent  than  otherwise.  With  no 
seeming  ambition  in  any  particular  line  of  study,  he  was  yet  always 
ready  when  called  upon — although  perhaps  the  previous  thirty  minutes 
were  all  that  had  been  devoted  to  preparation.  In  oratorical  power  he 
was  hardly  up  to  some  others  of  the  class.  But  as  a  writer  he  was  bril- 
liant— Grattan,  Burke  and  Patrick  Henry  all  rolled  into  one — yet  so 
original  that  it  was  hard  to  say  that  his  style  resembled  any  one 
standard.'' 

"  I  remember,  when  our  Junior  Division  speaking  came  off  in  the 
chapel,  that  President  Carnahan  stopped  him  in  mid-course,  because  he 
would  give  the  speech  that  had  been  ruled  out,  when  told  to  prepare 
another.  At  my  request  he  loaned  it  to  me  afterwards  to  read,  and  I 
committed  it  to  memory— not  for  its  sentiments — but  for  some  of  the 
finest  rounded  periods  that  I  have  found  anywhere  in  the  English  lan- 
guage.    The  presidential  grievance  was  this,  that  our  gifted  classmate, 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  157 

with  the  ken  of  a  seer,  did  forecast,  with  most  startling  accuracy,  the 
political  horoscope  of  our  great  '  family  quarrel '  that  culminated  twenty- 
three  years  later." 


MAJ.  HENRY  WILIylAM  BECK  WOODHULIv,  A.M.,  M.D. 

Henry  William  Beck  Woodhull  was  born  at  Vine  Hill, 
Manalapan  Township,  Monmouth  County,  N.  J.,  October  3, 
1 8 19.  He  was  the  only  son  of  Gilbert  Tangier  Smith  Woodhull, 
M.D.,  a  young,  brilliant  and  rich  physician,  at  the  top  round 
of  his  profession,  of  the  highest  social  position,  beloved  by 
all  about  him,  who  died  October  13,  1830.  Our  classmate's 
mother  was  Charlotte  Wikoff,  fourth  daughter  of  Col.  William 
Wikoff,  of  Monmouth  County,  N.  J.,  and  through  her  he  is  a 
great-grandson  of  Col.  Nathaniel  Scudder,  M.D.  (Class  of 
175 1),  who  fell  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  is  of  the 
seventh  generation  in  descent  since  the  family  settlement  of 
the  Woodhulls  in  America  in  1648.  His  elementary  training 
was  under  Messrs.  Partridge  &  Fisk  in  Monmouth  County 
until  1 831;  after  that,  at  the  Princeton  Academy  under  the 
Rev.  Charles  C.  Sears. 

Mr.  Woodhull  entered  the  Freshman  Class  at  Princeton 
College  in  1834,  where  he  and  the  writer  became  acquainted, 
both  being  of  "  the  original  twelve,"  who  were  the  nucleus  of 
the  Class  of  1838.  He  also  became  a  Clio.  He  was  of  me- 
dium height,  of  sedate  and  orderly  bearing,  of  pleasing  and 
genial  manners;  always  a  gentleman,  and  highly  esteemed 
among  his  fellow-students. 

After  his  graduation  he  spent  four  years  (1838-42)  on  his 
farm  at  Vine  Hill,  Monmouth  County,  N.  J.  From  1842  to 
1845  hs  studied  in  New  York  City  at  The  College  of  Physi- 
cians and  Surgeons  and  at  the  old  New  York  Hospital  on 
Broadway.  Upon  receiving  his  degree  of  M.D.  in  1845,  he 
settled  in  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  and  there  practiced  medicine 
and  surgery  until  June,  1854,  nine  years.  He  then  removed 
to  Madison  Avenue  in  New  York  City,  and  in  later  years  to 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Ever  since  1854  he  has  been  practicing  in 
New  York  City  and  its  vicinity,  the  area  of  his  work  being 


158  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

extended  over  these  cities  almost  daily.  In  all  his  labors  he 
has  worked  upon  the  highest  Christian  plans  and  from  the 
highest  and  most  philanthropic  motives.  His  ambition  has 
been  to  save  human  life,  to  shield  so  far  as  possible  the 
wronged  and  oppressed,  to  put  the  poor  crazed  soul  perhaps 
meditating  suicide  on  his  or  her  feet  again  and  as  his  reward 
see  him  becoming  a  happy  and  useful  member  of  society. 

In  the  year  1856  he  received  the  appointment  of  Surgeon 
of  the  Twelfth  Regiment  of  the  National  Guard  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  with  rank  as  Captain.  In  1858  he  was  pro- 
moted to  be  Brigade  Surgeon,  with  the  rank  of  Major.  For 
eighteen  years  he  served  the  State  and  the  General  Govern- 
ment in  the  capacity  of  Brigade  Hospital  Surgeon,  with  the 
rank  of  Major.  He  received  a  thorough  military  training  at 
the  hands  of  the  late  Col.  W,  W.  Tompkins,  a  graduate  of 
West  Point,  a  most  accomplished  soldier,  and  at  that  time  a 
retired  United  States  Army  officer.  The  "  War  Governor  " 
of  New  York  (E.  D.  Morgan)  urged  Dr.  WoodhuU  on  three 
several  occasions  to  accept  the  position  of  Surgeon  General 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  with  the  rank  and  pay  of  Brigadier 
General,  which  promotion  he  declined.  He  also  refused  the 
Colonelcy  of  the  Fifth  Regiment  of  National  Guards  of  the 
State  of  New  York.  He  likewise  refused  a  chair  at  Bellevue 
College  Hospital,  tendered  to  him  by  the  late  Prof  Willard 
Parker,  M.D.  He  was  made  a  permanent  member  of  the 
American  Medical  Association  ;  a  Fellow  of  the  New  York 
Academy  of  Medicine;  and  a  member  of  the  New  York  Pa- 
thological Society.  He  was  also  one  of  the  original  members 
of  the  New  York  State  Military  Association;  and  Col.  Hardee 
of  the  U.  S.  Army  and  he  were  invited  to  address  that  Asso- 
ciation upon  the  occasion  of  their  Annual  Meeting  at  Albany 
in  i860.  For  five  years  he  was  also  the  Medical  Director  of 
a  large  City  Life  Insurance  Company. 

For  18  years  it  was  one  of  Dr.  WoodhuU's  earnest  aims  to 
bring  the  First  Division  of  the  National  Guard  to  the  ability 
to  supply  competent  officers  for  the  desperate  struggle  of  the 
civil  war,  which  he  foresaw  many  years  before  its  advent — 
officers  whom  no  military  school  at  the  North  could  possibly 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  159 

furnish  in  sufficient  numbers.  And  when  the  war  was  ended 
one  regiment  alone  of  his  Division  had  contributed  600  edu- 
cated officers  to  help  discipline  the  crude  material  of  the  vol- 
unteers. He  also  rendered  another  important  service  to  his 
country  during  the  civil  war.  He  gave  the  casting  vote  in 
the  First  Division  Board  of  officers  (in  response  to  im- 
ploring telegrams  from  Washington)  to  carry  the  whole  of 
the  four  brigades  (10,000  men)  into  the  Pennsylvania  cam- 
paign :  thus  rescuing  and  fortifying  Harrisburg  against  the 
further  advance  of  Gen.  Fitz  Hugh  Lee  at  the  head  of  his 
cavalry  and  flying  artillery.  To  supply  deficiencies  in  the 
Medical  Staff,  Dr.  VVoodhull  drew  upon  and  exhausted  the 
entire  service  of  all  the  New  York  and  New  England  hospi- 
tals. These  brigades  mined  the  bridge  across  the  Susque- 
hanna; threw  up  earth-works;  mounted  artillery;  captured 
and  controlled  all  the  upper  fords  ;  entered  and  occupied 
Carlisle  just  in  time  to  get  a  shelling  from  the  enemy  on  the 
same  night ;  and  had  a  spirited  little  engagement  at  Sporting 
Hill  a  full  month  before  the  main  body  of  the  Confederates 
had  reached  Gettysburg. 

Dr.  Woodhull,  married  May  12,  1847,  on  St.  John's  Park, 
New  York  City,  Azelia,  youngest  daughter  of  Joseph  Giraud, 
Esq.,  a  retired  merchant  of  New  York,  of  French  Huguenot 
descent.  This  lady  still  lives  to  adorn  and  bless  his  home. 
They  have  had  three  children,  viz. :  i,  Thenford,  unmarried  ;  a 
graduate  of  Columbia  College  and  its  Law  School,  New  York; 
a  counsellor  at  law,  and  residing  with  his  father  in  Brooklyn, 

N.  Y. 2.   Rosalie,  who  died  in  1856,  aged  4  years,  and  3. 

Evelyn  De  Vivon,  unmarried,  and  residing  with  her  father. 
Our  classmate  has  not  yet  attained  to  the  dignified  and  vener- 
able title  of  grandfather. 

When  gathering  materials  for  this  sketch  a  year  ago,  the 
writer  applied  to  Dr.  Woodhull  for  the  names  of  the  works  he 
had  published.  Instead  of  this  he  sent  a  long,  and  learned, 
and  most  charming  list  of  the  works  he  ought  to  have  pub- 
lished ;  not  one  of  which  had,  as  yet,  gone  through  the  press. 
Perhaps  this  has  resulted  from  his  having  written  so  long  and 
so  effective  a  series  of  very  condensed  physician's  prescriptions 


160  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

that  he  has  lost  faith  in  larger  publications,  for  in  a  commu- 
nication to  a  friend  written  several  years  ago,  he  says,  "  I  have 
written  a  good  deal  upon  general  subjects,  but  always  in  so 
terse  and  concise  a  manner  as  hardly  to  claim  attention  when 
the  end  had  been  gained.  Soul-stirring  brevity  is  worth  more 
than  a  pamphlet  for  all  the  emergencies  it  has  been  my  own 
lot  to  encounter.'' 

Dr.  Woodhull's  family  has  furnished  a  long  and  noble  list 
of  names  to  the  Alumni  Roll  of  Princeton  College.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned:     i.  The  Rev.  William    WoodhuU 

(Class  of  1764),  brother  of  his  grandfather. 2.  Rev.  John 

Woodhull,  D.D.  (1766),  a  College  Trustee  and  an  eminent 

divine,  his  grandfather. 3.    Col.  Nathaniel  Scudder,  M.D. 

(i/5i),  who  was  killed  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  was  a 
Trustee  of  the  College  at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  was  our 

classmate's  great-grandfather  on  his  mother's  side. 4.  Peter 

Wikoff  (1791),  his  mother's  uncle. 5.  Rev.  George  Spof- 

ford  Woodhull  (1790),  his  father's  brother  and  a  Trustee  of  the 

College. 6.  Nathaniel  Scudder  Wikoff(i8o6),  his  mother's 

brother;  besides  almost  innumerable  cousins  and  other  rela- 
tives. His  father,  Gilbert  Tangier  Smith  Woodhull,  M.D., 
and  several  other  relatives  who  were  not  Alumni,  received 
honorary  titles  from  Princeton  College. 

Although  not  a  member  of  any  church,  he  has  been  an 
attendant  on  the  Presbyterian  Church,  for  which  he  has  a 
decided  preference,  and  in  which  so  many  members  of  his 
family  have  held  distinguished  places  of  honor  and  usefulness 
for  several  generations. 

The  life  of  a  physician  and  surgeon  having  a  large  practice, 
especially  when  that  practice  has  been  spread  over  a  large 
city  and  has  included  for  years  the  work  of  an  army  surgeon 
in  time  of  war,  as  Dr.  Woodhull's  has  done,  must  have  been 
very  full  of  striking  incidents  and  adventures.  He  could 
doubtless  fill  a  large  volume  with  most  interesting  facts  from 
his  professional  life.  Two  or  three  such  incidents  we  have, 
in  the  course  of  our  intimate  correspondence,  drawn  from  him, 
and  these  we  venture  to  insert  here,  knowing  how  deeply  they 
will  interest  the  readers  of  these  pages. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  161 

A  gentleman  connected  with  a  heavy  business  house  and 
occupying  an  elegant  mansion,  became  separated  from  his  wife 
and  children  through  the  machinations  of  enemies  to  both  of 
them.  In  a  fit  of  delirium  thus  occasioned,  he  rushed  from 
his  bed  to  jump  out  of  the  window,  but  the  window  being 
closed,  the  single  pane  of  heavy  plate  glass  was  dashed  in 
pieces,  and  he  fell  back  with  his  face  fearfully  cut  by  it.  It 
was  then  Doctor  Woodhull  saw  him  for  the  first  time ;  dressed 
his  wounds  and  put  him  under  strict  surveillance  night  and 
day ;  took  charge  of  and  paid  the  servants,  and  indeed,  attended 
to  everything  pertaining  to  his  interests.  He  wrote  to  his 
patient's  wife  in  Ohio  to  come  back  with  her  children,  and  go 
with  her  husband  to  Kurope  for  three  years ;  and  went  to  his 
two  partners  (an  utter  stranger  to  them  all),  who  told  him  to 
draw  for  all  the  money  wanted.  He  got  drafts  on  London 
and  Paris  ;  engaged  state-rooms  on  a  steamer  and  saw  them  off. 
Three  years  afterwards  he  saw  them  domiciled  in  their  old 
home,  as  happy  as  possible,  and  showering  blessings  on  his 
head  for  "  saving  them  from  utter  ruin." 

Doctor  Woodhull  was  sent  for  to  see  a  maniac,  no  further 
particulars  being  given.  He  found  him  sitting  in  the  centre  of 
his  room  "  armed  to  the  teeth  " — a  gun  cocked  and  loaded  with 
buck  shot,  pointed  as  the  Doctor  entered.  The  latter,  looking 
him  squarely  in  the  eye,  said,  "  You  will  not  surely  kill  your 
Doctor,  who  means  you  no  harm."  The  gun  was  lowered. 
Then  the  Doctor  went  for  the  sheriff  and  sent  the  maniac  to 
the  Lunatic  Asylum,  after  which  the  family,  driven  out  in 
mortal  terror,  went  back  to  their  home. 

Two  men  came  to  the  Doctor  at  night  to  have  a  sick  friend 
visited  in  Houston  Street,  two  blocks  from  Broadway,  then  up 
an  alley  and  up  three  flights  of  stairs.  He  found  a  room  with 
no  carpet  and  no  furniture,  save  a  bed  in  the  far  corner  and  a 
table  holding  a  "tallow  dip."  The  Doctor  felt  of  the  man's 
pulse,  and  tJiat  instant  knezv  that  Jie  tuas  trapped.  He  said  to 
the  feigning  sick  man  that  he  would  write  a  prescription.  He 
stepped  to  the  table,  but  instead  of  taking  out  his  pencil, 
whipped  out  his  navy  revolver  and  covered  both  men,  who 
were  standing  with  their  backs  to  the  closed  door,  ordering 
them  to  throw  the  door  open  or  they  would  be  dead  men  in 
II 


162  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

less  than  one  minute.  They  said,  "  Only  put  your  watch  and 
money  on  the  table  and  we'll  do  you  no  harm."  The  key 
was  thrown  upon  the  floor.  They  were  sharply  told  to  pick 
it  up  at  once,  to  unlock  the  door,  throw  it  wide  open,  and  to 
move  to  the  bed  and  stay  there.  They  yielded.  The  Doctor, 
taking  the  candle,  backed  down  the  stairway  with  pistol  still 
ready  for  use  if  they  so  much  as  popped  their  heads  outside. 
Passing  out  the  dark  alley,  he  threw  away  the  candle  in 
Houston  Street,  and  went  home  to  bed. 

A  doctor  needs  a  cool  head,  a  steady  nerve  and  quick  per- 
ceptions. He  sometimes  needs  all  the  qualities  of  a  tried 
soldier.  So  this  doctor  did,  when  he  felt  called  to  lie  down 
on  a  battle-field,  keeping  his  finger  upon  the  bleeding  artery 
of  a  wounded  man  while  a  whole  regiment  charged  over  the 
two.  His  reward  in  this  case  was  the  high  commendation  of 
Gen.  Joe  Hooker,  uttered  in  the  presence  of  a  hundred  offi- 
cers— of  Gen.  Hooker,  who  was  never  known  to  praise  any 
one  before.  When  the  dead  General  was  borne  before  him 
afterwards  at  his  funeral,  the  Surgeon  removed  his  hat  with 
grateful  remembrance  of  this  distinguished  honor. 

Dr.  WoodhuU  was  present  at  our  memorable  class-meeting 
at  Princeton  on  June  20,  1888,  and  took  an  active  part  in  its 
proceedings.  Indeed,  from  the  time  such  a  meeting  was 
first  proposed,  he  threw  his  soul  into  the  undertaking,  and 
effectively  helped  to  secure  the  attendance  of  others  and  to 
make  it  what  it  was.  He  has  also  aided  the  writer 
in  securing  materials  for  this  "  Biography."  One  thing 
surprised  his  assembled  classmates  greatly :  he  wore  no 
"  crown  of  glory,"  not  a  white  hair  appearing  on  his  head, 
while  he  almost  retained  the  vigor  and  activity  of  fifty  years 
ago.  And  in  a  letter  we  have  just  read,  speaking  of  the  "ad- 
vantages of  keeping  up  one's  physical  training,"  he  states 
that  at  the  Princeton  Academy,  taught  by  the  Rev.  C.  C. 
Sears,  where  he  was  a  pupil  from  1831-34,  he  was  regularly 
"routed  up,  and  out  at  sunrise  for  an  'Indian  trot '  of  two 
miles  before  breakfast ;  and  can  practice  it  quite  as  actively 
and  enjoyably  now,  at  the  age  of  seventy,  as  he  then  could 
at  the  age  of  twelve."  Long  may  his  life  and  his  vigor  con- 
tinue, say  his  surviving  classmates  each  and  all. 


PRESrCETON  COI.I.EGE.  163 


NON-GRADUATE  MEMBERS. 

OF  THE  CI,ASS  OF    1838. 

Besides  the  seventy-five  members  of  the  Class  of  1838  who 
were  graduated  and  received  their  diplomas,  there  were 
tiventy-nme  persons  who,  at  different  times,  were  for  a  longer 
or  shorter  period,  members  of  the  class,  but  were  never 
graduated.     Of  these  brief  sketches  will  now  be  given. 

THOMAS  JAMES  ANCRUM. 

Thomas  James  Ancrum,  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Dale 
(Brisbane)  Ancrum,  was  born  at  Camden,  Kershaw  County, 
S.  C,  July  17,  1817,  and  was  prepared  for  college  in  his  native 
place  under  H.  P.  Hatfield.  He  entered  Princeton  College  in 
1834,  joining  the  Freshman  Class,  of  which  he  was  one  of 
"  the  original  twelve  "  members ;  also  the  Cliosophic  Society^ 
He  is  well  remembered  as  a  genial,  warm-hearted,  whole- 
souled,  impulsive  friend  and  companion,  beloved  by  every- 
body and  familiarly  known  as  "  Tom  Ancrum."  He  remained 
in  college  to  the  end  of  the  Sophomore  year,  then  withdrew 
and  returned  to  take  charge  of  his  planting  interests  near  his 
native  place.  He  never  studied  any  profession,  but  to  the  end 
of  his  life  remained  a  Planter.  During  the  civil  war  he  served 
as  a  recruiting  officer.     He  died  November  16,  1887. 

Mr.  Ancrum  married,  July  8,  1840,  Margaret  Frances 
Douglas,  daughter  of  James  Kennedy  Douglas,  Esq.,  of  Cam- 
den. This  lady  survived  him,  and  is  still  living.  He  left  two 
sons  and  five  daughters,  viz.:   i.  William  Alexander  Ancrum, 

who  married  Anna  Calhoun,  and  lives  in  Camden,  S.  C. 2. 

Thomas  Brisbane  Ancrum. 3.  Charlotte  Douglas,  married 

James  Cantry,  and  lives  in  Camden. 4.  Elizabeth  Brisbane 


164  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

married  to  John  Boykin,  living  in  the  same  place. 5.  Mar- 
garet Frances,  married   Robert  Johnson,  and  also  resides  in 

Camden. 6.  Tvlary  Katherine  Ancrum,  unmarried,  and  at 

home. 7.  Jessie  Douglas  Ancrum,  unmarried,  and  at  home 

with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Ancrum  was  always  active  in  matters  of  home  interest, 
but  never  went  into  public  life,  living  the  life  of  a  country 
gentleman  fond  of  field  sports,  his  surroundings  giving  him 
the  opportunity  for  gratifying  his  taste  in  that  way.  Before 
the  war  he  was  a  man  of  large  wealth,  which  he  distributed 
generously  to  all  about  him.  He  was  a  good  master  and 
kind  in  all  his  relations  in  life.  He  left  a  large  family,  who 
hold  a  high  position  in  the  community  in  which  they  live. 
He  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Camden  about  two 
years  before  his  death,  lived  a  consistent  Christian  life,  and 
left  to  his  friends  a  good  hope  that  he  enjoys  a  blissful  rest. 

Mr.  Ancrum  had  an  older  brother,  William  Alexander  An- 
crum, whom  many  of  us  well  remember,  and  who  was  gradu- 
ated in  the  Class  of  1836.  He  was  born  in  Camden,  S.  C, 
June  16,  i8i5,and  died  there  July  9,  1862,  leaving  one  son 
and  three  daughters.  Like  [his  brother  Thomas,  he  also  was 
a  Planter  all  his  life. 

RUFUS  KING  BARRETT. 

RuFus  King  Barrett  was  born  in  Bedford,  Westchester 
County,  N.  Y.,  October  9,  181 3.  His  father  was  Joseph 
Barrett,  of  that  place.  He  was  prepared  for  college  under 
the  instructions  of  Mr.  H.  S.  Banks  at  the  Bedford 
Academy,  and  afterwards  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  I.  Prime  at 
Sing  Sing,  N.  Y.  He  entered  Princeton  College  in  the 
fall  of  1835,  joining  the  Sophomore  Class  and  the  Clio- 
sophic  Society.  But  his  health  was  exceedingly  poor,  and 
at  the  end  of  four  months  he  relinquished  study  and  with- 
drew from  college.  He  then  devoted  himself  to  agriculture 
and  has  ever  since  been  a  farmer  in  the  near  vicinity  of  his 
native  place.  His  health  is  yet  feeble.  He  married  Harriet 
L.  Ward,  a  niece  of  General  Aaron  Ward,  of  Sing  Sing,  N.  Y., 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  165 

and  has  had  six  children,  of  whom   one  daughter  and  two 
sons  are  living.     He  has  one  grandchild. 

Mr.  Barrett  writes :  "  My  life  has  not  been  all  sunshine. 
After  my  marriage  I  was  highly  prospered  for  sixteen  years. 
When  my  last  child  was  born,  my  wife  died,  leaving  to  me 
the  care  of  six  children.  Since  that  time  I  have  been  deeply 
afflicted.  My  father  had  eleven  children  ;  I  am  the  only  one 
of  them  now  living.  My  loved  ones  are  nearly  all  on  the 
other  shore,  and  I  am  just  waiting  to  meet  them  where  there 
will  be  no  more  parting."  Mr.  Barrett  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church. 


JOHN  BLI/IS  BONHAM,  I^Iy.B.,  ESQ. 

John  Ellis  Bonham  was  the  son  of  William  and  Matilda 
(Shamp)  Bonham,  and  was  born  in  Kingwood  Township, 
Hunterdon  County,  N.  J.,  March  31,  18 19.  He  was  prepared 
for  college  in  the  school  of  Robert  Rittenhouse,  near  Ser- 
geantsville,  Hunterdon  Co.,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Bonham  entered  the  Junior  Class  at  Princeton  College, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society  in  1836.  But, 
owing  to  poor  health,  he  left  college  before  the  end  of  that  year, 
and  visited  Spain  and  the  south  of  France.  Having  returned, 
he  seems  to  have  gone  to  Canonsburg,  Pa.,  and  attended  Jeffer- 
son College  for  a  short  time,  as  his  name  appears  there  in  the 
catalogue  of  the  Franklin  Society  as  having  joined  it  in  1836; 
but  he  did  not  graduate.  He  went  thence  to  Carlisle,  Pa., 
where  he  joined  the  Law  School  of  Dickinson  College,  then 
under  the  headship  of  the  Hon.  John  Reed.  He  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  Nov.  1 1,  1839,  and  in  1840  was  graduated  from  the 
Law  School  with  the  title  of  LL.B.  He  at  once  began  the 
practice  of  law  in  Carlisle  and  continued  to  practice  there 
until  he  died.  As  soon  as  his  real  worth  was  known  he  be- 
came the  pet  of  the  community.  He  was  confessedly  a  very 
bright  and  scholarly  man.  When  Hon.  John  K.  Kane  was 
Attorney-General  of  the  State,  Mr.  Bonham  became  his 
deputy  for  that  county  and  held  the  office  three  years.     He 


166  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

was  a  member  of  the  Town  Council  of  Carlisle  and  President 
of  that  body  in  1853-4.  He  was  a  School  Director  of  the 
Carhsle  schools  from  August,  1853,  to  April,  1854,  when  he 
resigned.  He  was  also  Chairman  of  the  Democratic  State 
Central  Committee  in  1854.  For  a  time  he  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  State  Legislature.  In  1854  he  was  nominated  for 
Congress,  but  was  defeated  by  Lemuel  Todd,  the  Know- 
Nothing  candidate.  He  held  for  some  time  the  position  of 
U.  S.  Marshal ;  and  was  for  many  years  the  Editor  and  Pro- 
prietor of  Tlie  American  Volunteer,  the  Democratic  organ  in 
Carlisle. 

The  valuable  "  History  of  Cumberland  County,"  by  the 
Rev.  C.  P.  Wing,  D.D.,  contains  an  admirable  sketch  of  Mr. 
Bonham  from  the  pen  of  A.  B.  Sharpe,  Esq  ,  an  eminent  law- 
yer of  Carlisle,  from  which  we  quote  the  following  sentences  : 

"  Mr.  Bonham  had  an  extensive  practice,  but  never  a  fondness  for 
the  drudgery  of  his  profession.  .  .  .  He  had  great  fondness  for  EngUsh 
Literature  and  his  Hbrary  was  large  and  choice.  He  had  pohtical  am- 
bition and  cultivated  the  qualities  that  would  have  made  him  an  emi- 
nent statesman.  He  was  accustomed  to  write  for  the  leading  political 
journals  of  his  party  articles  on  all  the  prominent  questions  of  the  day. 
He  had  none  of  the  arts  of  the  demagogue.  Hismanners  were  modest : 
his  speech  that  of  a  cultivated  gentleman  and  a  graceful  orator :  and 
his  habits  more  those  of  the  student  than  of  the  man  of  the  world. 
Still  he  was  the  representative  man  of  his  party,  and  this  because  his 
abilities  commanded  the  position.  He  was  a  Democrat.  During  his 
term  in  the  Legislature  he  was  the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  House. 
.  .  .  After  his  defeat  for  Congress,  he  resolved  to  quit  politics  and 
devote  himself  to  his  profession.  He  determined  to  remove  to  Phila- 
delphia, had  rented  an  office  there  and  expected  to  remove  thither  in  a 
few  days,  where  he  took  a  cold  in  the  cars,  which  resulted  in  pneu- 
monia, and  death  ensued  in  a  few  days.'' 

This  event  occurred  March  19,  1855. 

Mr.  Bonham  married  Sarah  A.  King,  daughter  of  John 
King,  of  Chambersburg,  Pa.  She  died  April  7,  1852.  His 
remains  were  buried  at  Chambersburg  beside  hers.  They  had 
no  children. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  167 


WILLIAM  ARMSTRONG  BOYD,  M.D. 

William  Armstrong  Boyd  was  a  son  of  William  Boyd, 
M.D.,  of  Newberne,  N.  C,  and  of  Mary  H.  (Roberts)  Arm- 
strong. At  the  time  of  their  marriage,  her  father's  family 
resided  at  Chilton,  his  country-seat  in  Elizabethtown,  N.  J. 
Their  son  was  born,  June  3,  1820,  at  Newberne,  N.  C.  He 
was  prepared  for  college  by  the  Rev.  John  T.  Halsey,  at  his 
school  in  Elizabethtown, 

He  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  at  Princeton  in  1835,  and 
became  a  Clio.  But  for  some  unknown  reason  he  remained 
only  one  year. 

He  studied  medicine  under  Dr.  Mutter,  and  was  graduated 
from  Jefferson  Medical  College  in  Philadelphia  in  1845.  He 
then  settled  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Elizabeth,  N. 
J.,  and  continued  there  until  he  died,  Sept.  27,  1866,  in  the 
47th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  an  Episcopalian ;  but  was 
buried  in  the  church-yard  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  at 
Elizabeth.  A  gentleman  of  that  city  writes  of  him :  "  He 
was  an  exceedingly  clever  physician,  and  very  fond  of  his 
profession."     He  died  unmarried. 


LIEUT.-COL.  EDWARD  MORTIMER  BOYKIN,  M.D. 

Edward  Mortlmer  Boykin  was  born  May  17,  1820,  at 
Camden,  S.  C.  His  parents  were  John  Boykin  (Class  of  181 1) 
and  Charlotte  (Mortimer)  Boykin.  He  was  prepared  for  col- 
lege in  his  native  town,  under  Henry  P.  Hatfield,  of  New 
Jersey. 

He  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  at  Princeton,  in  1835,  and 
became  a  Clio.  He  was  a  bright,  lively,  genial  youth,  not  yet 
sixteen  years  of  age,  fond  of  fun  and  frolic,  and  a  general 
favorite.  His  habits  were  moral  and  orderly,  and  he  was  fairly 
studious.  All  his  classmates  regretted  his  loss  from  the  class. 
But  in  the  fall  of  1836  he  went  home  (to  Camden,  S.  C),  in- 
tending to  return  at  the  end  of  the  vacation,  when,  on  paying 


168  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

a  visit  to  Columbia,  S.  C,  he  was  induced  to  join  the  Junior 
Class  in  The  College  of  South  Carolina,  at  that  place,  and  was 
graduated  therefrom  in  1838. 

He  at  once  entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine,  and  was 
graduated  from  Charleston  (S.  C.)  Medical  College,  receiving 
his  degree  of  M.D.  in  1841.  He  immediately  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  at  Camden,  S.  C,  his  native  place, 
which  has  been  his  place  of  residence  ever  since,  and  still  is. 
He  had  a  large  practice  for  twenty  years,  until  i860,  when  he 
retired  from  the  active  duties  of  his  profession,  having  a  large 
planting  interest  in  Louisiana,  which  required  much  of  his 
time.  During  the  whole  of  the  civil  war  of  1861-65,  he 
was  a  cavalry  officer,  attaining  the  rank  of  Lieut.-Colonel  in 
the  Seventh  Regiment  of  South  Carolina  Cavalry.  As  such, 
he  was  present  and  participated  in  the  Evacuation  of  Rich- 
mond and  the  retreat  and  surrender  at  Appomattox.  Of  these 
culminating  events  of  the  long  and  sad  war.  Colonel  Boykin 
wrote  a  full  and  most  interesting  account  in  a  little  volume 
entitled  ^'The  Falling  Flag.''  It  is,  of  course,  written  from  the 
point  of  view  of  an  ardent  Confederate  officer,  but  exhibits 
great  literary  ability  and  profound  skill  in  the  arrangement 
and  presentation  of  thrilling  facts.  He  is  now  a  Master  in 
Chancery. 

Dr.  Boykin  married,  May  4,  1841,  Mary  Chesnut  Lang, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Lang,  of  Camden,  S.  C.  This  lady  still 
lives  in  the  enjoyment  of  good  health.  They  have  six  chil- 
dren living — three  sons  and  three  daughters — (his  oldest  son, 
Thomas  C.  Boykin,  having  been  killed  in  battle  in  Virginia, 
in  1864).     They  are :   i,  Edward  M.  Boykin,  married  Harriet 

M.  Brevard,  and  lives  in  Camden,  S.  C; 2,  John  Boykin, 

married  Miss  Elizabeth  B.  Ancrum,  daughter  of  Thomas  J. 

Ancrum  (Class  of  1838); 3,  Budwell  Boykin,  unmarried; 

4,  Mary  McRa  Boykin  ; 5,  Harriet  L.  Boykin  ; 6,  Sally 

W.  Boykin;  all  three  unmarried,  and  living  with  their  father. 

Dr.  Boykin  attends  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which 
some  members  of  his  family  are  members.  He  is  reported  to 
be  a  very  large  man.  While  in  practice  he  was  regarded 
as   an    unusually  excellent    physician.     In  a  welcome  letter 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  169 

received  from  him  some  months  ago,  he  writes  :  "  My  life  has 
been  a  very  varied  one.  I  lost  a  large  fortune  at  the  close  of 
the  war,  but  consider  myself  fortunate  in  my  old  age,  in  having 
my  sons  and  daughters  around  me,  all  securing  a  respectable 
living.  My  wife  and  I  are  both  remarkably  strong  and 
healthy.  Although  I  was  a  wild  and  rather  reckless  boy,  I 
never  contracted  any  of  those  habits  that  wreck  a  man's  life. 
It  has  given  me  great  pleasure  to  hear  from  you.  I  live  a 
great  deal  in  the  past.  When  Lawrence  O'B.  Branch  was 
killed,  I  was  within  a  (qw  miles  of  him.  At  Princeton  I  was 
[save  one]  next  him  on  the  class-roll." 


JOHN  RICHARD  BRANCH,  ESQ. 

John  Richard  Branch  was  born  at  Raleigh,  N.  C,  Sep- 
tember 25,  18 19,  in  the  Governor's  Mansion.  His  parents 
were  John  Branch  of  Enfield,  Halifax  Co.,  N.  C,  and  Eliza 
(Fort)  Branch.  His  father,  John  Branch,  was  Governor  of 
North  Carolina  from  18 17  to  1821  ;  he  was  also  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  during  the  Presidency  of  General  Andrew  Jackson. 

Our  classmate  was  prepared  for  college  in  the  school  of 
Mr.  William  J.  Bingham,  in  Orange  Co.,  N.  C.  He  entered 
Princeton  College  in  the  fall  of  1835,  joining  the  Sophomore 
Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  came  in  company  with 
three  cousins,  for  some  notice  of  whom  see  the  sketch  of 
Laurence  O'B.  Branch  in  this  Class  Book.  He  was  in  stature 
the  smallest  of  the  four,  being  rather  under  medium  size  ;  was 
gentle,  warm-hearted,  orderly,  studious,  and  much  beloved  by 
his  classmates.  In  accordance  with  the  free  usages  of  college 
life  he  was  generally  called  "  Governor,"  in  allusion  to  the 
position  of  his  father. 

Mr.  Branch  remained  at  Princeton  about  two  years,  passing 
through  the  Sophomore  and  Junior  years.  He  then  withdrew 
and  engaged  in  the  war  against  the  Seminole  Indians  in 
Florida,  serving  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Leigh  Read  with  the 
rank  of  Major.  Afterwards  he  studied  law  in  Raleigh,  N.  C, 
in  the  office  of  Mr.  Miller,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  that  city. 


170-  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Having  been  admitted  to  the  bar,  he  established  himself  in  the 
practice  of  law  in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where  he  continued  until 
about  1852,  when,  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  he  returned  to 
the  old  home  of  his  father  at  Enfield,  N.  C,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  that  place,  February  23, 
1859,  ^^  ^^^  fortieth  year  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Branch  married,  in  Nashville,  Tenn,,  November  18, 
1 84 1,  Josephine  L.  Woods,  daughter  of  Robert  Woods,  a 
banker  of  that  city.  She  died  at  Nashville  October  25,  1852. 
They  left  five  children,  three  daughters  and  two  sons,  viz. : 
I.  Theora  Woods  Branch,  unmarried  and  living  in  Nashville, 

Tenn. 2.  Eliza,  married   B.  M.   Burroughs,  and  lives  in 

Tallahassee,  Florida. 3.  Sarah  Woods,  married  John  Aus- 
tin,  is   now  a  widow,  and    lives    in    Nashville. 4.    John 

Branch,   living    in    Tallahassee,    Fla. 5.    Robert   Woods 

Branch,  living  in  Nashville. 

Mr.  Branch  had  a  decided  preference  for  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  but  was  not  a  church  member.  He  entertained, 
however,  a  most  sincere  respect  and  reverence  for  religion. 
He  was  a  kind,  generous  and  affectionate  parent,  and  greatly 
beloved  by  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 


LUTHER  BROWN. 

Luther  Brown  was  born  near  Brownsburg,  Rockbridge 
Co.,  Va.,  January  i,  18 17.  His  father  was  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Brown  :  his  mother  Mary  Moore,  whose  wonderful  adventures 
and  hair's-breadth  escapes  as  a  captive  among  the  Indians  are 
narrated  in  a  book  entitled  "  The  Captives  of  Abb's  Valley," 
published  by  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication.  He  was 
the  youngest  of  eleven  children  and  had  five  brothers  who 
were  Presbyterian  ministers.  He  was  prepared  for  college  by 
the  Rev.  James  Morrison,  who  succeeded  his  father  as  pastor 
of  New  Providence  Presbyterian  Church. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1834,  and  became  a  Whig. 
He  was  large  in  frame,  with  large  and  dreamy  eyes,  and  un- 
commonly amiable  and  friendly  in  disposition,  but  very  indo- 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  171 

lent.  At  the  end  of  the  Freshman  year  he  was  withdrawn 
from  college  by  his  friends  because  of  his  inattention  to  the 
prescribed  studies  and  his  excessive  fondness  for  amusement. 

After  leaving  Princeton,  he  went  in  1835  to  Hampden  Sid- 
ney College,  Va. ;  but  after  being  there  one  year  was  again 
withdrawn  for  the  same  reasons  as  before.  But  about  1838 
his  character  as  a  student  underwent  a  marvellous  change  and 
he  entered  with  ardor  and  energy  upon  the  study  of  medicine; 
first  privately ;  then  at  the  University  of  Virginia  at  Char- 
lottesville ;  and  finally  at  Philadelphia. 

After  receiving  license  to  practice,  he  settled  near  Russell- 
ville,  in  East  Tennessee.  He  had  a  strong  mind  and  a  sound 
judgment,  and  rose  rapidly  in  the  estimation  of  his  professional 
brethren  and  in  that  of  the  whole  community,  until  he  was 
regarded,  both  as  a  physician  and  as  a  citizen,  with  a  degree  of 
respect  and  love  that  was  really  enthusiastic. 

Dr.  Brown  died  near  Russellville,  East  Tennessee,  April  30, 
185 1,  of  pulmonary  consumption.  He  had  made  a  profession 
of  religion  at  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  but  his  religious 
character  underwent  a  marked  change  about  the  time  he  ad- 
dressed himself  in  earnest  to  study.  His  final  sufferings  were 
borne  with  fortitude  and  patience,  and  he  died  peacefully, 
knowing  "  whom  he  had  believed."  His  character  was  marked 
by  great  generosity  and  candor,  with  a  high  sense  of  honor. 

He  was  never  married. 


REV.  JAMES  McWHORTER  BRUEN. 

James  McWhorter  Bruen  was  born  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  July 
30,  1818.  His  parents  were,  James  Bruen,  of  Newark,  after- 
wards of  Philadelphia,  and  Catharine  (Baldwin)  Bruen.  Alex- 
ander M.  Bruen,  M.D,,  who  gave  a  handsome  property  at 
Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.,  to  be  used  as  a  Minister's  Home,  was  his 
first  cousin.  He  was  finally  prepared  for  college  under  the 
private  tuition  of  Samuel  Baldwin,  of  Newark,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Bruen  joined  the  Sophomore  Class  of  Princeton  College 
in  the  fall  of  1835,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Cliosophic 


172  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Society.  We  have  a  distinct  remembrance  of  him  in  those 
student  days,  and  can  see  his  pleasant  smile,  his  easy  and 
genial  manner.  He  was  apparently  overflowing  with  good 
will  to  all  around  him. 

He  only  remained  one  year  at  Princeton,  and  at  the  end  of 
the  Sophomore  year  withdrew,  partly  on  account  of  his  health, 
and  partly  to  be  nearer  his  home.  His  father  then  lived  in 
Philadelphia,  and  he  entered  after  an  interval  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  in  that  city,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1842. 

Having  devoted  himself  to  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel, 
he  entered  Union  Theological  Seminary  in  the  City  of  New 
York,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1845.  He  was  or- 
dained by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  July  i,  1845, 
and  labored  in  New  Brunswick  for  a  short  time.  In  the  same 
year  he  went  to  New  Windsor,  N.  Y.,  and  remained  there  as 
pastor  about  three  years.  In  1849  he  took  charge  of  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church,  at  Camptown  (Irvington),  N.  J.  In 
his  later  years  he  preached  as  supply  in  various  churches,  and 
a  part  of  the  time  as  Stated  Supply  at  a  Union  Chapel  at 
Middleville,  which  he  built  and  largely  contributed  to  pay  for. 

Mr.  Bruen  died  of  consumption,  January  29,  1881,  at  the 
residence  of  his  only  son,  the  Rev.  James  De  Hart  Bruen, 
then  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Clayton,  N.  J.,  but 
now  at  Belvidere,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Bruen  married.  May  19,  1845,  Anna  M.  Miller,  daughter 
of  William  W.  Miller,  Esq.,  a  distinguished  young  lawyer  of 
New  Jersey,  who  died  in  his  28th  year.  This  lady  still  lives, 
and  resides  with  her  son  at  Belvidere. 

He  was  noted  for  his  unassuming  simplicity  of  character 
and  his  genial  manners  and  warm-heartedness.  He  was  also 
a  student  to  the  last.  His  Greek  Testament  was  part  of  his 
daily  reading.  His  sermons  were  carefully  prepared  and  force- 
fully delivered.     His  piety  was  deep  and  fervent. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  173 


FRANCIS  MARION  COMFORT. 

Francis  Marion  Comfort  was  born  at  Russellville,  Logan 
Co.,  Ky.,  July  28,  1819.  His  father  was  the  Rev.  Daniel 
Comfort,  (Class  of  1808),  of  Orange  Co.,  N.  Y.,  who  taught  at 
Princeton.  N.  J.,  two  years  after  graduating,  then  preached 
and  taught  at  Russellville,  Ky.,  ten  years,  and  afterwards 
taught  and  died  at  Clinton,  Miss.,  in  1855,  being  a  first  cousin 
of  the  Rev.  David  Comfort,  D.D.,  of  Kingston,  near  Princeton, 
N.  J.,  a  College  Trustee.  Our  classmate's  mother  was  Martha 
Ann  Cruser,  of  Rocky  Hill,  near  Kingston,  N.  J.  He  was 
taught,  in  preparing  for  college,  by  his  father  at  Clinton,  Miss. 

Mr.  Comfort  united  with  the  Freshman  Class  of  Princeton 
College,  in  1834,  and  with  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  accom- 
panied to  Princeton  by  an  older  brother,  Benjamin  Frederick 
Comfort,  who  joined  the  (Sophomore)  class  above  us.*  He 
was  of  small  and  delicate  stature,  with  light  hair  and  com- 
plexion. He  remained  at  Princeton  only  one  year,  when  he 
was  withdrawn  for  reasons  of  economy. 

After  returning  home  he  entered  Clinton  Male  College,  of 
which  his  father  was  President,  and  studied  there  one  or  two 
years.  He  then  devoted  himself  to  teaching,  and  taught  at 
various  places  in  Madison  and  adjoining  counties  until  about 
i860.  Since  that  time  he  has  turned  his  attention  exclusively 
to  farming.  During  the  civil  war  he  belonged  to  a  company 
of  minute  men,  but  spent  only  three  months  in  camp. 

Mr.  Comfort  has  been  twice  married:  i.  To  Sidney  Ann 
King,  daughter  of  John  D.  King,  of  Madison  Co.,  Miss.,  Jan- 
uary 14,  1841.     She  died  at  Clinton,  Miss.,  July  16,  1856. 

2.  To  Delilah  Fugler,  daughter  of  John  Fugler,  of  Rankin 
Co.,  Miss.,  June  24,  i860.  He  has  one  son  and  six  daughters 
living,  viz.:  1.  Julia  C.  Comfort,  married  C.  S.  Collins  and 
lives  at  Little  Rock,  Ark. 2.  Martha  L.  Comfort,  unmar- 


*  Benjamin  Frederick  Comfort  left  college  at  the  end  of  his  Sophomore  year; 
studied  law  but  did  not  practice ;  was  a  successful  teacher  in  Miss,  and  La.  and 
died  in  Richland  Parish,  La.,  in  1867. 


174  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

ried,  lives  with  her  sister  at  Little  Rock. 3.  John  D.  Com- 
fort, married  Helen  Pitman,  and  lives  in  Wilkinson  Co.,  Miss. 
4.  Louisa  D.  Comfort,  married  W.  M.  James,  of  Wilkin- 
son Co.,  Miss. 5.  Laura  E.  married  Murdock  McCraine 

of  the  same  county. 6.  and  7.  Maggie  L.  and  Minnie  E. 

Comfort  are  unmarried  and  live  with  their  father.  He  has 
twenty-two  living  grandchildren. 

Mr.  Comfort  is  still  living  (November,  1888),  but  in  very 
feeble  health,  being  a  severe  sufferer  from  asthma  or  some 
disease  much  resembling  it.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  His  home  is  at  Woodville,  Wilkinson  Co., 
Miss. 

PATRICK  HENRY   COOKE. 

Patrick  Henry  Cooke  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  Va.,  Feb- 
ruary 6,  18 1 8,  and  was  the  son  of  Col.  Mordecai  Cooke  and 
Margaret  (Kearns)  Cooke.  He  was  prepared  for  college  in 
an  Academy  in  Norfolk,  Va.,  under  the  instructions  of  the 
Rev.  George  Hallson,  an  Episcopal  clergyman. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1834,  becoming  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Freshman  Class  and  of  the  CHosophic  Society. 
He  remained  nearly  two  years,  until  the  end  of  his  Sopho- 
more year,  when  he  withdrew  on  account  of  his  delicate 
health. 

He  did  not  afterwards  enter  any  other  literary  institution, 
but  engaged  in  the  study  of  civil  engineering.  He  was  soon, 
however,  obliged  to  relinquish  this  pursuit  for  the  same  rea- 
son which  had  prevented  his  continuance  in  college,  and 
finally  chose  the  profession  of  law,  reading  in  the  office  of 
James  Langhorne,  Esq.,  of  Portsmouth,  Va.  He  afterwards 
practiced  law  in  his  native  city  until  1847,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed Clerk  of  the  Gosport  Navy  Yard  by  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy.  He  next  became  Secretary  of  The  Norfolk 
and  Portsmouth  Ferry  Company,  which  place  he  held  until 
May,  1862.  At  this  time  he  retired  with  his  family  to 
Oxford,  N.  C,  where  he  made  his  home  until  January  i, 
1864.     He  was  then  appointed  to  a  position  in  the  Confeder- 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  175 

ate  Treasury  Department,  and  took  up  his  abode  for  a  short 
time  in  Richmond,  Va.,  but  in  April  of  that  year  went,  with 
that  Department,  to  Columbia,  S.  C.  On  the  approach  of 
Gen.  Sherman's  army  to  Columbia,  the  Department  was  re- 
moved from  it,  and  Mr.  Cooke,  passing  through  many  dan- 
gers, difficulties  and  stirring  adventures,  found  his  way  ulti- 
mately back  to  Portsmouth,  where  he  found  his  home,  after 
his  absence  of  three  years,  plundered  and  desolate.  After 
the  close  of  the  war  he  engaged  in  business.  But  during  his 
stay  in  Columbia  he  had  contracted  the  asthma,  which  gradu- 
ally grew  worse  until  his  death,  which  occurred  October  25, 
1872,  at  Portsmouth,  Va.  He  had  married  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic lady,  and  in  1853  he  became  a  member  of  that  church, 
in  which  he  continued  until  he  died. 

Mr.  Cooke  married,  September  16,  1844,  Olivia  Sophie 
Bilisoly,  oldest  child  of  Joseph  Antonio  Bilisoly,  a  merchant 
of  Portsmouth,  Va.  She  still  lives,  and  resides  in  that  city. 
He  had  nine  children,  of  whom  four  sons  and  two  daughters 
are  still  living,  viz.:  i.  Antonio  Mordecai  Cooke,  married 
Mary  Elizabeth  Shea,  of  Norfolk,   Va.,  and  has  two  living 

children. 2.  William  Gaston  Cooke,    married    Janet  Ivy, 

of  Norfolk,  and  has  six  living  children. 3.  Thomas  Paul 

Cooke,  unmarried. 4.  John  Carroll  Virginius  Cooke,  un- 
married.  5.     Virginia     Mary     Cooke,     unmarried. 6. 

Mary  Eliza,  married  V.  O.  Cassell,  Jr.,  of  Portsmouth,  has 
two  children. 


WILLIAM  C.  EASON. 

Wjlliam  C.  Eason  was  the  son  of  John  G.  Eason  and 
Margaretta  (Deaderick)  Eason,  and  was  born  at  Jonesboro', 
Tenn.,  in  18 16,  where  his  father  was  for  many  years  a  mer- 
chant and  a  leading  citizen. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  as  a  half-advanced  Freshman, 
early  in  1835,  and  joined  the  Whig  Society.*     He  was  tall, 


*  His  name  is  mis-spelled  "  Edson  ''  in  the  "  Catalogue'"  of  that  Society  for  1883, 
and  in  its  Index. 


176  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

slender,  of  easy,  very  gentlemanly  and  agreeable  manners. 
He  left  at  the  end  of  the  Freshman  year,  and  did  not  return 
to  Princeton,  probably  for  financial  reasons. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  his  father,  in  1836,  having  inherited 
nothing,  he  went  to  Augusta,  Ga.,  in  company  with  his  two 
brothers,  Thomas  D.  and  John.  All  of  them  died  there. 
He  was  engaged  in  mercantile  business  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  The  most  diligent  inquiry  has  failed  to  obtain  the  pre- 
cise date  of  his  death,  and  there  appears  to  be  no  slab  or  stone 
above  his  grave.  But  the  records  of  the  Augusta  Cemetery 
inform  us  that  his  brother,  Thomas  D.  Eason,  of  East  Ten- 
nessee, was  buried  there  in  1839.  They  contain  also  the 
following  record  of  our  classmate's  burial,  not  of  his  death  : 
"William  C.  Eason,  East  Tennessee;  Clerk,  October  21,  1840; 
Congestive  Fever;  Age,  twenty-four."  That  is  all.  A  cor- 
respondent in  Jonesboro',  his  native  place,  writes  of  him  : 
"  His  character  was  exceptionally  good.  He  is  remembered 
as  a  remarkably  kind,  accommodating,  generous  and  free- 
hearted man,  very  much  beloved.  He  '  showed  himself 
friendly,'  and  therefore  had  friends.  He  stood  very  high  with 
all  who  knew  him.     He  was  never  married." 


MANUEL  EYRE. 

Manuel  Eyre,  older  brother  of  our  class-mate  Mahlon 
Dickerson  Eyre  (the  sketch  of  whom  see),  was  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, December  18,  1817,  and  was  the  son  of  Manuel  Eyre 
(Class  of  1793)  and  of  Mrs.  Ann  Louisa  (Connelly)  Eyre;  and 
with  his  younger  brother  above  named,  was  prepared  for  col- 
lege in  Holmesburg  Academy,  near  Philadelphia;  entered  the 
Freshman  Class  at  Princeton  College  in  1834,  and  became  a 
member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  more  grave  and  sedate 
than  his  younger  brother.  He  continued  with  our  class  until 
the  end  of  the  Junior  year  in  1837^  when  he  withdrew  because 
of  the  condition  of  his  eyes,  which  were  very  weak  and  re- 
quired treatment. 

After  leaving  Princeton  he  became  a  farmer,  residing  a  part 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  177 

of  the  year  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  the  summer  at  "  The 
Grange,  near  Overbrook,"  not  many  miles  from  that  city. 

He  married,  October  8,  1840,  Eliza,  daughter  of  William 
Painter,  of  Delaware  County,  Pa.  She  died  some  years  be- 
fore  him.     They   left   four    children,  viz.:     i.  Manuel  Eyre, 

of  San    Francisco,    Cal. 2.  Mary    Eyre,    of  Wilmington, 

Del. 3.  Ellen  Eyre  Coye,  of  New  York. 4.  Mrs.  Fran- 
ces Augustine  Eyre  Morgan,  of  Johnstown,  Pa. 

He  died  while  in  England  in  November,  1879,  and  was 
buried  there. 

WIIvIvIAM  HAMII^TON,   M.D. 

William  Hamilton  was  born  near  Staunton,  Va.,  April  23, 
18 1 8.  Was  the  son  of  Hugh  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Clark) 
Hamilton,  of  Staunton.  He  was  prepared  finally  for  college 
at  the  Staunton  Academy  under  Lyttelton  Waddell,  Esq. 

He  joined  the  Sophomore  Class  of  Princeton  College  in 
1835  and  the  Whig  Society,  and  remained  a  member  of  the 
class  two  years,  until  the  close  of  its  Junior  year.  He  pro- 
bably left  without  graduating  because  of  a  scarcity  of  funds. 
He  then  taught  in  the  Staunton  Academy  for  some  time  and 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  A.  Waddell  of  that  city.  He  was 
a  student  in  the  University  of  Virginia  at  Charlottesville  dur- 
ing the  sessions  of  1839-40  and  graduated  as  M.D.,  but  after- 
wards pursued  his  medical  studies  further  in  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  in  Philadelphia. 

After  completing  his  studies  he  removed  with  his  father 
and  all  his  immediate  family  to  Sabine  County,  Missouri, 
where  he  practiced  his  profession  about  15  years.  His  father 
and  two  brothers  died  there  and  he  returned  to  Staunton. 
He  was  there  elected  assistant  physician  of  the  Western  Lu- 
natic Asylum  and  held  that  office  about  thirty  years,  leading 
the  life  of  a  recluse  so  far  as  the  outside  world  was  concerned. 
About  the  end  of  this  period  his  health  failed,  he  resigned  his 
position,  and  retired  to  his  small  farm  near  Waynesboro', 
Augusta  Co.,  Va.,  where  he  still  lives  in  very  feeble  and  pre- 
carious health. 


178  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838 

Dr.  Hamilton  never  married.  In  early  life  he  became  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  In  his  days  of  health 
and  activity  he  was  a  man  of  strong  and  acute  intellect  and 
large  scientific  attainments.  He  was  always  rather  odd — "  a 
crusty  bachelor,"  many  people  would  say,  but  his  heart  was 
as  tender  towards  his  afflicted  patients  as  a  mother's  towards 
her  children. 

P.  S.  Since  the  above  was  written,  we  have  been  informed 
that  Dr.  Hamilton  died  Jan.  20,  1889,  and  was  buried  at 
Tinkling  Spring  Church. 


JAMES  STEVEN  JOHNSON,  ESQ. 

James  Steven  Johnson  was  born  in  Robeson  County,  N.  C, 
August  30,  18 12.  His  parents  were  Alexander  and  Margaret 
(Steven)  Johnson.  He  was  a  brother  of  Daniel  Johnson  (of 
1838)  and  of  William  Dalrymple  Johnson  (of  1843).  ^^is 
preparations  for  college  were  made,  first,  at  Beaver  Creek 
Academy,  fifteen  miles  from  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  under  Archi- 
bald C.  Currie,  and  later,  at  Donaldson  Academy  in  Fayette- 
ville, under  the  Rev.  Simeon  Colton,  D.D.  In  the  fall  of 
1835  he  went  to  Yale  College  and  entered  the  Freshman 
Class ;  remained  there  one  session,  then  came  to  Princeton 
and  entered  one  year  higher,  viz. :  the  Sophomore  Class. 
He  also  united  with  the  Whig  Society,  and  his  name  may  be 
found  in  its  catalogue  of  1 840,  although  not  in  that  of  1 883.  He 
remained  at  Princeton  nearly  two  years  until  towards  the  close 
of  the  Junior  year,  when  he  left  and  went  to  Union  College, 
Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1838,  sharing 
the  first  honor  of  his  class  with  two  others.  His  reasons  for 
leaving  Princeton  are  not  known.  His  standing  in  the  class 
there  was  one  of  the  highest,  perhaps  the  very  highest.  Few 
men  ever  acquired  so  rapidly  and  accurately.  He  had  an 
acute,  bright  intellect,  and  a  most  retentive  memory. 

After  graduating  at  Union  College  he  returned  to  his 
home;  then  went  to  Natchez,  Miss.,  where  he  tauglit  two 
years;    then  studied  law  under  General  John  A.  Quitman,  a 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  179 

distinguished  officer  in  the  Mexican  war;  and  after  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  went  to  Carrollton,  Carroll  County,  Miss., 
where  he  had  a  fine  practice  for  many  years.  He  was  several 
years,  first  about  1846  and  again  in  1866,  on  the  law  bench 
(in  the  Orphans'  Court),  but  he  greatly  preferred  the  liberty 
and  excitement  of  the  bar,  at  which  his  stand  was  a  high  one. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
of  Mississippi.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  that  body  first 
in  1850,  and  again  in  1882.     He  died  May  15,  1884. 

Mr.  Johnson  married,  in  January,  1852,  Miss  Falba  Love, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Love,  of  Marengo  County,  Alabama. 
Her  parents  had  died  before  her  marriage,  and  she  was  plant- 
ing near  Benton,  but  living  in  Jackson,  Miss.,  when  she  mar- 
ried Mr.  Johnson.  She  is  still  living  at  Carrollton,  Miss. 
He  left  one  daughter  and  two  sons,  viz. :  i.  Falba  Love  John- 
son, unmarried,  and  living  with  her  mother  at  Carrollton. 

2.  James  W.  Johnson,  married  Annie  P.  Johnson,  daughter 
of  his  uncle,  the  Hon.  William  Dalrymple  Johnson,  is  living 
at  Marion,  S.  C,  and  practicing  law  in  partnership  with  him. 

3.  Alexander  D.  Johnson,  unmarried,  and  living  with  his 

mother  at  Carrollton. 


EIvISHA  JARRETT  LEWIS,  M.D. 

Elisha  Jarrett  Lewis  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  July  12, 
18 19,  and  was  the  son  of  Abram  J.  Lewis,  a  merchant  of 
Philadelphia,  and  a  grandson  of  Capt.  Joseph  Lewis,  of  the 
Revolutionary  Army. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  the  fall  of  1835,  joining  the 
Sophomore   Class  and  the   Cliosophic   Society.     He  was  of 
medium  size,  of  slender  form,  and  of  a  delicate  and  almost 
effeminate  countenance  and  complexion.     He  withdrew  from 
college  for  unknown  reasons  at  the  end  of  his  Junior  year. 

After  leaving  college,  he  studied  medicine  under  the  guid- 
ance of  John  K.  Mitchell,  M.D.,  a  distinguished  physician  of 
Philadelphia,  and  received  his  degree  of  M.D.  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  in  1840;  after  which  he  prosecuted  his 


180  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

medical  studies  in  Paris,  and  then  settled  in  Philadelphia.  He 
did  not  long  practice  medicine,  however,  if  he  did  at  all,  but 
went  into  the  dry-goods  business  with  his  father,  in  the  firm 
of  Lewis  &  Co.,  and  continued  therein  until  near  the  end  of 
his  life.      He  died  July  10,  1877. 

Dr.  Lewis  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Fassitt,  a  wealthy 
merchant  of  Philadelphia.     He  left  one  son  and  two  daughters, 

viz..   I.  Clarence  Lewis,  residing  in  Philadelphia. 2.   Mrs. 

Howard  Roberts. 3.  Mrs.  William  H.  Tiers,  both  residing 

in  the  same  city. 

The  interest  of  Dr.  Lewis  and  his  studies  were  directed 
largely  for  some  years  to  the  subject  of  Sporting,  and  he  pre- 
pared and  published  the  following  volumes:  i.  "Hints  to 
Sportsmen ;  containing  Notes  on  Shooting,  the  Habits  of 
Game  Birds  and  Wild  Fowls  of  America,  the   Dog,  the  Gun, 

the    Field,   etc."       Philadelphia,    1851.       i2mo. 2.  "The 

American  Sportsman."  Philadelphia,  1855.  8vo.,  an  im- 
proved and  enlarged  edition  of  No.  i.  A  third  edition  was 
published  in   1857,  8vo.,  a  beautiful  volume  with  numerous 

illustrations. 3.    "American    Edition   of  Youatt   on   The 

Dog,"  with  additions."     1847.     8vo. 

Dr.  Lewis  was  also  the  author  of  numerous  scientific  and 
sporting,  as  well  as  humorous  papers. 

JOHN   LORD   LONDON. 

John  Lord  London  was  born  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  June 
18,  1 8 19,  and  was  the  son  of  John  Rutherford  London,  of 
that  city,  who  died  in  1832.  He  entered  the  Sophomore 
Class  in  Princeton  College  in  the  fall  of  1835,  and  became  a 
member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was  a  gentle  and 
amiable  young  man  of  pleasing  address  and  winning  manners, 
but  of  a  frail  and  delicate  appearance.  He  remained  in  col- 
lege two  years,  and  finally  left  at  the  end  of  the  Junior  year, 
on  account  of  his  failing  health.  He  then  returned  to  Wil- 
mington, his  native  city,  but  never  undertook  to  study  for 
any  profession.  Nor  did  he  ever  marry.  His  health  steadily 
grew  worse,  and  he  died  of  consumption  November  11,  1842. 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  181 


REV.  NKIIvI.  McKAY,  D.D. 

Neill  McKay  was  born  in  Cumberland  (now  Harnett) 
County,  N.  C,  February  ii,  i8i6.  His  parents  were  Neill 
McKay  and  Flora  (McNeill)  McKay.  He  was  prepared  for 
college  at  Donaldson  Academy,  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  under  the 
Rev.  Simeon  Colton,  D.D. 

He  came  to  Princeton  in  the  fall  of  1835,  entered  the  So- 
phomore Class,  and  joined  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  un- 
mistakably Scotch-Irish  in  every  fibre  of  his  body;  genial, 
bright,  companionable,  attractive,  muscular ;  of  clear  and 
strong  opinions  held  tenaciously,  which  he  was  always 
ready  to  argue  for,  or  even  to  fight  for,  if  necessary ;  a  grand 
player  on  the  "  shinny-ground ;"  an  industrious  and  faithful 
student.  He  remained  in  college  through  the  Sophomore  and 
Junior  years,  and  then  withdrew  and  entered  Union  College 
at  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  in  company  with  our  other  classmate, 
James  S  Johnson.     Thence  he  was  graduated  in  1838. 

Having  devoted  himself  to  the  work  of  the  sacred  ministry, 
Mr.  McKay  entered  Columbia  Theological  Seminary  in  South 
Carolina,  where  he  studied  three  years,  and  was  graduated  in 
1 841.  He  was  ordained,  sine  titulo,  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Fayetteville,  November  13,  1841.  From  that  time  on  until 
now  he  has  continued  to  preach  the  gospel  at  various 
churches, — Sardis,  Tirza,  Buffalo,  Flat  Branch  and  others, 
but  always  within  the  bounds  of  one  and  the  same  Presby- 
tery which  ordained  him,  and  residing  nearly  all  that  time  in 
the  same  place.  Until  the  close  of  the  civil  war  the  colored 
population  in  his  vicinity  constituted  a  most  important  and 
interesting  portion  of  his  charge;  but  they  are  now  separately 
organized.     Yet  he  often  preaches  to  them  still. 

He  received  his  degree  of  D.D.  from  The  University  of 
North  Carolina. 

Dr.  McKay  has  been  thrice  married,  i.  December  22, 
1841,  to  Sarah   A.  James,  daughter  of  the   Rev.    Robert  W. 

James,  of  Sumter,  S.  C. 2.  May  14,  1863,  to  Ann  Blount 

Pettigrew,  daughter   of  the    Hon.  E.    Pettigrew,  of  Tyrrell 


182  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

County,  N.  C. 3.   December   10,  1873,  to  Margaret   Mur- 

chison,  daughter  of  Duncan   Murchison,  Esq.     He  has  three 
surviving  children,     i.  Corneha  A.,  married  to  Maj.  M.  McR. 

McLaughhn,   and  resides    in  Cheraw,  S.    C. 2.    Mary  E. 

Louise  McKay,  unmarried. 3.  Fannie  Reid,  yet  a  child. 

Dr.  McKay  still  prosecutes  his  labors  in  a  vigorous  and 
healthful  old  age,  and  receives  the  unbounded  respect  and  af- 
fection of  the  community  in  which  he  lives,  and  of  his  minis- 
terial brethren  and  other  parties  wherever  he  is  known. 


HON.  ROBERT  McKNIGHT,  A.M. 

Robert  McKnight  was  born  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  January 
27,  1820.  His  father,  William  McKnight,  was  one  of  the 
most  esteemed  and  influential  citizens  of  that  city.  Under 
the  tuition  of  the  Rev.  Hugh  McMillan,  in  Xenia,  O.,  the 
son  received  the  preliminary  training  which  fitted  him  for 
Princeton  College,  where  he  entered  the  Freshman  Class  in 
the  fall  of  1834.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Cliosophic 
Society.  He  was  under  the  medium  height,  but  strong  and 
muscular;  full  of  life  and  vivacity;  social  and  talkative  ;  strong 
in  his  convictions  and  ready  to  maintain  them  ;  very  creditably 
studious ;  and  all  his  classmates  and  acquaintances  were  fond 
of  "  Bob  "  McKnight.  An  apparent  failure  of  health  caused 
him  to  withdraw  from  the  class  after  two  years,  at  the  end  of 
the  Sophomore  year.  Having  been  absent  from  Princeton 
one  year,  he  returned  in  1837,  entered  the  next  class  below 
(the  Junior),  and  was  graduated  in  1839. 

After  graduating  he  at  once  began  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Richard  Biddle,  Esq.,  an  eminent  jurist  of  Pitts- 
burgh, and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1842.  Soon  after  he 
associated  himself  in  practice  with  the  Hon.  Henry  S.  Magraw 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  secured  a  large  and  influential 
clientage.  For  three  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh Common  Council,  and  for  two  of  those  years  was  its 
President.  He  was  elected  to  Congress  in  1858  by  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  re-elected  in  i860,  thus  being  a  member 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  183 

of  the  Thirty-sixth  and  Thirty-seventh  Congresses  and  in 
several  important  congressional  committees. 

Mr.  McKnight  was  elected  and  ordained  a  ruling  elder  in 
The  Central  Presbyterian  Church  of  Allegheny,  in  March, 
1857,  but  having  transferred  his  membership  to  The  North 
Church  of  that  city  in  1868,  he  was  elected  an  elder  there. 
He  was  several  times  sent  by  his  Presbytery  to  represent  it  in 
The  General  Assembly  of  The  Presbyterian  Church.  In  1862 
he  was  elected  a  Director  of  The  Western  Theological  Semi- 
nary at  Allegheny.  He  served  on  various  important  Com- 
mittees of  the  General  Assembly  and  thus  rendered  valuable 
service  to  the  Church.  In  1884,  by  appointment  of  the  As- 
sembly, he  attended  The  Pan-Presbyterian  Council  at  Belfast, 
as  one  of  its  commissioners.  For  several  years  he  had  been 
in  declining  health,  but  finally  was  seized  with  pneumonia, 
and  died  at  his  home  in  Allegheny,  Pa.,  Oct.  25,  1885.  Much 
of  his  time  during  the  latter  years  of  his  life  was  devoted  to 
the  management  of  the  large  Denny  estates  and  interests.  He 
was  a  vigorous  and  eloquent  speaker;  a  conscientious  and 
upright  man  ;  of  great  fixedness  of  purpose  and  great  indus- 
try; very  frank  and  sometimes  even  blunt  in  the  expression 
of  his  views ;  greatly  beloved  by  his  family  and  his  neigh- 
bors, and  an  active  and  useful  Christian, 

Mr.  McKnight  married.  May  27,  1847,  Elizabeth  O'Hara 
Denny,  a  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Harmar  Denny,  of  Pitts- 
burgh, and  a  granddaughter  of  James  O'Hara.  This  lady 
is  still  living  and  residing  at  Allegheny,  Pa.  He  left 
seven  children,  viz.:  i.  Harmar  Denny  McKnight,  who  lives 
at  Silver  City,  New  Mexico. 2.  Woodruff  McKnight,  mar- 
ried to  Cora  Burdon  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  living  at  San 
Diego,  Cal. 3.  Kate  Cassatt  McKnight,  living  at  Alle- 
gheny,  4.  Bessie    Denny,    married    to    Major  Thomas  J. 

Gregg,   U.    S.   A.,   and    living   at  Santa  Barbara,  Cal. 5. 

Henry  McKnight,  living  at  Allegheny. 6.   Flora,  married 

to  William  L.  Pierce,  and  living   at   Allegheny. 7.  Robert 

McKnight,  who  died  at  Santa  Barbara,  Cal.,  in  February, 
1889. 


184  BIOGRAPHY  OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1838. 


SAMUEL  REED. 

Samuel  Reed  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  September  17, 
18 1 8,  and  is  the  son  of  Moses  and  Elizabeth  Reed  of  that  city. 
He  passed  through  his  Freshman  year  at  Jefferson  College, 
Pa.,  and  entered  the  Sophomore  Class,  half-advanced,  about 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1836.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Whig  Society.  He  continued  to  be  a  member  of  the  class 
until  the  end  of  the  Junior  year,  when  he  withdrew  from  col- 
lege because  of  ill  health. 

He  entered  no  institution  of  learning  afterwards,  but  en- 
gaged in  mercantile,  and  later,  in  the  commission  business,  in 
Philadelphia,  and  has  continued  therein  to  the  present  day. 
He  has  resided  nearly  all  the  time  in  Philadelphia  and  its 
vicinity.  His  present  home  is  at  Bryn  Mawr,  near  the  city, 
and  he  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  very  fair  health.  He  is  a  Pres- 
byterian, and  is  both  a  ruling  elder  and  a  Trustee  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  at  Bryn  Mawr. 

Mr.  Reed  has  been  twice  married:  i.  To  Sarah  A.  Lind- 
say, daughter  of  John   Lindsay,  of  Delaware  County,  Pa.,  in 

April,   1845. 2.  To   Mary  A.  Smith,  daughter  of  R.  M. 

Smith,  of  Delaware  County,  Pa.,  September  30,  1870.  He 
has  had  five  children,  of  whom  two  are  now  living,  viz. :  i- 
Orville  Reed,  who  married  Markel  Leeds,  and  has  one  daugh- 
ter living. 2.  Lillian  R.  Reed,  unmarried,  and  living  with 

her  father. 

PETER  ROUGET. 

Peter  Rouget  was  born  at  the  Port  of  St.  Pierre,  in  the 
Island  of  Guernsey,  June  2,  18 19.  His  parents  were  James 
Rouget,  of  St.  Pierre,  and  Judith  (Cohn)  Rouget.  He  came 
to  the  United  States  with  his  parents  when  he  was  about 
twelve  years  of  age,  in  1831.  They  settled  at  Manhattan- 
ville,  N.  Y.,  a  village  eight  miles  north  of  the  New  York 
City  Hall,  and  now  within  the  city  limits,  while  the  son  found 
employment  in  his   uncle's   store,  in   New  York.     He  after- 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  185 

ward  received  his  preparation  for  college  in  a  school  in  Rah- 
vvay,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Rouget  entered  Princeton  College  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Freshman  Class,  in  1834,  and  became  a  Clio.  He  was  a 
man  of  medium  height  and  rather  stoutly  built.  His  move- 
ments, his  tone  of  voice,  his  words,  his  look ;  the  whole  ex- 
pression of  his  countenance,  may  be  fully  characterized  by 
two  words :  gentleness  and  kindness.  This  impression  of 
him,  unseen  for  over  fifty  years,  is  as  distinct  as  if  we  had 
seen  him  yesterday.  Yet,  underneath  this  great  gentleness 
of  manner,  there  lay  hidden  not  a  little  moral  and  intellectual 
force  and  firmness.  In  the  three  years  during  which  he  was 
our  classmate,  we  never  knew  him,  even  under  great  provo- 
cation, to  say  or  do  a  wrong  thing,  or  heard  of  his  doing  one. 
If  we  were  asked  to-day  to  say  what  he  was  most  like,  we 
would  answer :  "  Like  the  blessed  Christ  when  he  was  on 
earth."  He  continued  a  member  of  the  class  until  the  end  of 
the  Junior  year,  then  withdrew  on  account  of  failure  of 
health. 

On  leaving  college  Mr.  Rouget  at  once  betook  himself  to 
his  chosen  occupation — that  of  teaching,  and  to  this  he  gave 
his  whole  remaining  life.  During  the  first  six  years,  1837- 
43,  he  taught  at  New  Utrecht,  on  Long  Island  ;  all  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  During  the  last 
thirty-seven  years  of  his  life  he  was  Principal  of  Public 
School  No.  10  in  that  city.  Here,  in  quiet  and  steadfast  de- 
votion to  his  loved  work,  the  even  tenor  of  his  life  flowed  on 
uneventfully,  leaving  no  changes  or  striking  facts  for  us  to 
record  until  the  last  great  change  came.  He  died  in  Brook- 
lyn on  January  2,  1885,  of  cancer  of  the  stomach.  He  was 
buried  in  Greenwood  Cemetery,  and  over  his  resting-place  ap- 
pears this  modest  but  most  truthful  epitaph  : 

Patient  in  Suffering  ; 
Triumphant  in  death. 

PEACE. 

For  twenty-five  years  he  served  as  a  ruling  elder  and  dea- 
con in  The  Twelfth  Street  Reformed  Dutch  Church  of  Brook- 


186  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

lyn,  and  was  for  eleven  consecutive  years  Superintendent  of 
its  Sabbath-School.  During  the  remainder  of  his  life  in 
Brooklyn  he  was  connected  with  the  First  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  on  Joralemon  Street,  of  which  he  was  an  elder  at  the 
time  of  his  death. 

Mr.  Rouget  was  twice  married,  i.  At  New  Utrecht, 
Long  Island,  N.  Y  ,  March  28,  1842,  to  Rebecca  Van  Nuyse. 

She  died  January  20,  1875. 2.  On  December  25,  1877,10 

Johanna  Van  Nuyse,  who  still  resides  in  Brooklyn.  His  two 
wives  were  both  daughters  of  Wilhelm  Van  Nuyse,  of  New 
Utrecht.  He  left  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom 
reside  in  Brooklyn.     They  are :   i.  James  Rouget,  married  to 

Jane  A.  Leighton. 2.  Adolph  Rouget,  married  Mary  A. 

Johnson. 3.   William   E.   Rouget,   married    Ella   Selwyn. 

4.  Margaret  E.,  married  Richard  B.  Treacy. 5.  Pas- 
cal Rouget,  unmarried. 6.  Adelle  Tucker,  now  the  widow 

of  Frederic  A.  Tucker. 7.  Susan  Van  Nuyse  Rouget,  un- 
married. 

Immediately  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Rouget,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing newspapers  of  Brooklyn  bore  this  testimony  concerning 
him  : 

"Mr.  Rouget  has  been  Principal  of  Public  School  No.  10  for  thirty- 
seven  years.  In  attainments,  in  tact,  in  address,  in  the  wise  temper  and 
zeal  of  the  instructor,  he  has,  during  that  long  period,  held  his  position 
with  universally  recognized  fidelity  and  success.  He  might  have  chosen 
a  business  which  would  have  guaranteed  him  great  material  wealth;  he 
might  have  followed  a  calling  which  would  have  given  him  wider  fame  ; 
but  in  no  profession  could  he  have  touched  so  many  lives  with  whole- 
some inspirations,  have  helped  to  form  the  character  of  a  greater  number 
of  people,  and  so  have  affected  the  fortune  of  the  City  and  the  State  in 
a  broader  way,  than  in  the  indispensable,  perhaps  the  most  honorable 
and  useful,  profession  of  teacher.'' 

The  Consistory  of  The  First  Reformed  Dutch  Church  of 
Brooklyn,  of  which  he  was  an  elder,  unanimously  adopted 
resolutions,  of  which  the  following  weighty  words  formed  a 
part : 

"We  bear  our  eager  and  unanimous  testimony  to  his  pure  and  ele- 
vated character ;  his  useful,  honored  and  spiritual  life ;  the  wisdom  of 
his  counsels  and  the  grace  and  gentleness  of  his  address ;  his  fidelity  to 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  ^  187 

every  Christian  duty  and  his  zealous  devotion  to  our  Master's  cause ; 
his  consistent  walk  and  shining  example,  for  the  many  years  which  he 
was  permitted  to  spend  among  us.'' 

At  a  meeting  of  "  The  Principals'  Association  of  The  De- 
partment of  Education,  in  Brooklyn,"  held  soon  after  Mr. 
Rouget's  death,  one  Principal  said  : 

"  I  have  been  impressed  with  the  calm,  steady  way  in  which  Mr. 
Rouget  bore  himself  when  he  knew  that  his  end  was  near  at  hand.  It 
was  my  privilege  to  be  the  last  one  of  our  number  to  see  and  converse 
with  him  before  his  death.  He  said  to  me  that  his  earthly  work  was 
over.  He  displayed  marked  courage  as  he  spoke  to  me  of  his  future 
life.  His  only  regret  was  to  part  with  those  who  had  been  dear  to  him 
on  earth." 

Another  Principal  said  of  him  : 

"  He  was  one  of  the  most  honored  teachers  in  Brooklyn.  For  many 
years  he  has  been  at  the  front  of  the  corps  of  principals  in  this  city,  and 
we  all  felt  that  he  worthily  and  ably  filled  the  place." 

Another  said : 

"  One  of  his  chief  characteristics  was  his  exceeding  goodness  of 
heart."'  Another  said:  "He  was  a  pure-minded,  heavenly  man.'' 
Another:  "  He  was  a  man  whom  to  know  was  to  love.  We  never  knew 
a  man  look  death  so  squarely  in  the  face." 

And,  in  a  similar  strain,  spake  others  of  the  Principals 
present. 


GEORGE  WILI.IAM  BOZMAN  SATTERFlElvD. 

George  William  Bozman  Satterfield  was  born  in  Eden- 
ton,  N.  C,  in  the  year  1820.  His  parents  were  William  and 
Elizabeth  (Bozman)  Satterfield. 

He  came  to  Princeton  College  in  the  fall  of  1834  and  joined 
the  Freshman  Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was 
agreeable  and  gentlemanly  in  his  manners,  and  amiable  and 
kind  in  disposition,  but  did  not  apply  himself  to  study  and 
was  somewhat  dissipated  in  his  habits.  He  finally  left  college 
at  the  end  of  his  Freshman  year. 


188  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

On  returning  to  his  home  in  Edenton  he  studied  law,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  and  practiced  for  some  years  in  Edenton 
and  adjoining  counties.  Afterwards  he  engaged  in  mercan- 
tile business  in  his  native  place  and  became  engaged  in  spec- 
ulation, which  ended  disadvantageously,  and  he  is  said  to 
have  become  dissipated.  About  the  year  1856  he  removed 
from  North  Carolina  to  Louisiana  whither  one  or  more 
brothers  had  preceded  him.  He  did  not  practice  law  after 
his  removal,  but  engaged  in  farming  in  Avoyelles  Parish. 
Probably  he  also  engaged  for  awhile  in  teaching.  During  the 
civil  war  of  186 1-5  he  served  in  an  infantry  regiment  from 
New  Orleans,  but  on  account  of  his  bad  eyesight  and  his  age 
he  was  not  kept  long  in  active  service.  A  friend  of  his  in 
Louisiana  writes :  "  He  was  a  man  of  kind,  good  heart,  full  of 
energy  and  fond  of  visiting.  I  do  not  think  he  had  an  enemy. 
He  was  liked  very  much  by  everybody."  He  died  on  the 
Atchafalaya  River,  in  Point  Coupe  Parish,  La.,  of  typhoid  fever, 
in  July,  1878.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church. 

Some  years  before  going  to  Louisiana  Mr.  Satterfield  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  Ann  Reddick.  She  accompanied  him  to 
Louisiana  and  died  there  about  1859.  He  left  three  children: 
I.  William  Edward  Satterfield,  a  planter,  married  and  living 
at  New  Iberia,  La. 2.  Alice  Estelle,  married  Sumter  Tay- 
lor, and  lives  at  Washington,  La. 3.  Mary  Ann  Satter- 
field, unmarried,  and  living  at  New  Iberia,  La. 

HUDSON  S.  SNEEDEN. 

Hudson  S.  Sneeden,  son  of  Israel  Sneeden,  a  hardware 
merchant  of  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  was  born  in  that  place  about 
1 8 19.  He  acquired  his  preparatory  education  in  the  Academy 
at  Newburgh,  and  then  he  came  to  Princeton  College  in  1835, 
becoming  a  member  of  the  Sophomore  Class  and  of  the  Clio- 
sophic  Society.  He  was  in  stature  short,  in  intellect  peculiarly 
bright,  and  in  manners  attractive.  But  he  was  indolent  and 
averse  from  study.  He  remained  in  College  but  a  single  year, 
leaving  at  the  end  of  the  last  Sophomore  term. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  189 

The  remainder  of  his  story  is  short  and  very  sad.  We  give 
it  in  the  words  of  a  reHable  correspondent. 

"  On  his  return  from  College  he  was  the  occasion  of  great 
anxiety  to  his  parents.  He  seemed  disinch'ned  to  enter  upon 
any  regular  business,  and  showed  a  disposition  to  dissipation. 
Ere  long  he  became  an  habitual  drunkard.  On  the  outbreak  of 
the  California  Gold  Fever  in  1849,  he  went  to  California,  and 
never  returned  to  Newburgh.  It  was  learned  that  about 
twenty-five  years  ago  (about  1863)  he  died,  a  common  drunk- 
ard, in  one  of  the  Western  States." 

A  friend  writes  from  Newburgh,  N.  Y., — "  He  never  mar- 
ried, and  my  informant  knows  of  no  surviving  relative  of 
his." 

SAMUElv  GRIFFIN  CAMPBELL  STEWART. 

Samuel  Griffin  Campbell  Stewart  was  born  at  Williams- 
burg, Va.,  December  28,  18 19.  His  parents  were  Ferdinand 
Stewart  Campbell  Stewart,  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  William 
and  Mary  College,  at  Williamsburg,  and  Elizabeth  Corbin  (Grif- 
fin) Stewart.   He  was  prepared  for  college  under  private  tutors. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  1834,  uniting  with  the 
Freshman  Class.  He  also  became  a  Clio.,  yet  we  cannot  find 
his  name  in  the  printed  catalogue  of  that  Society.  He 
remained  in  college  only  through  the  Freshman  year,  when 
he  was  withdrawn  in  order  to  accompany  his  mother  to 
Europe,  where  he  traveled  a  number  of  years. 

He  never  afterwards  became  a  member  of  any  literary 
institution,  and  on  his  return  from  Europe  engaged  in  no  pro- 
fession or  occupation  until  i860  when  he  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  Mr.  John  R.  Savage,  under  the  style  of  Savage  & 
Stewart,  for  manufacturing  chemicals  at  Frankford,  Philadel- 
phia. In  this  firm  he  continued  until  1872,  when  he  retired, 
and  afterwards  led  a  life  of  quiet  and  leisure.  He  died  April 
3,  1888,  suddenly,  from  a  third  stroke  of  apoplexy.  He  was 
an  attendant  upon  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  and  a 
baptized  member  of  it. 

Mr.  Stewart   married,   June    26,    1851,    Caroline   Clement 


190  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

Greeves,  daughter  of  Henry  Greeves  of  Philadelphia.     This 
lady  is  still  living      He  left  five  children,  viz. :   i.  Archibald 

Campbell  Stewart,  unmarried,  and  living  in  Philadelphia. 

2.  Leroy  Griffin  Stewart,  unmarried,  and  living  in  the  same 

city. 3.     Ferdinand    Stewart    Campbell   Stewart,    married 

Emma  Banker  and  lives  in  San  Francisco,  Cal. 4.  Corbin 

Griffin  Stewart,  married  Margaretta  Annette  Mahan,  and  lives 

at  Louisiana,  Mo. 5.  Clementina,  married  David  Cameron 

Lennox,  and  lives  in  Philadelphia. 


HENRY  PORTERFIELD  TAYLOR. 

Henry  PoRTERFiELD  Taylor  was  born  October  10,  1817, 
in  Richmond,  Va.  His  parents  were  Colonel  Edmund  Tay- 
lor and  Frances  Ann  (Richardson)  Taylor.  His  father  died 
while  he  was  yet  a  child.  His  mother  afterwards  married 
the  Rev.  James  W.  Douglass,  and  Henry  was  thus  an  inmate 
of  his  stepfather's  home,  and  was  reared  under  his  benignant 
influence.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at  Donaldson  Acade- 
my in  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  where  his  stepfather  was  pastor  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  was  then  at  Hampden  Sidney 
College,  Virginia,  for  a  short  time,  and  then  at  Washington 
College,  Virginia,  two  years. 

Mr.  Taylor  came  to  Princeton  in  the  fall  of  1835  and  en- 
tered the  Sophomore  Class.  He  also  became  a  member  of 
the  Whig  Society,  although  his  name  cannot  be  found  in  that 
Society's  catalogue  of  1883,  but  is  in  that  of  1840.  He  was 
grave  and  serious,  a  consistent  and  devout  Christian ;  yet 
bright  and  attractive,  diligent  in  study,  firm  in  purpose,  and  a 
great  reader.  His  college  course  was  cut  short  by  ill  health 
as  well  as  by  the  death  of  his  stepfather,  the  Rev.  James  W. 
Douglass,  which  occurred  at  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  September  5, 
1837.  That  event  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  return  to  that 
place  and  care  for  his  mother  and  his  aged  grandmother. 
They  all  soon  after  returned  to  their  former  Home  in  Virginia. 

After  leaving  college  Mr.  Taylor  studied  medicine  at  Rich- 
mond Medical  College  two  sessions,  but  was  again  obliged  to 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  191 

break  off  because  of  ill  health.  He  now  devoted  himself 
ardently  to  the  work  of  teaching.  He  taught  a  High  English 
and  Classical  School  in  Richmond,  Va.,  for  twelve  years 
(1848-60)  with  much  success.  For  many  years  before  his 
death  he  was  in  feeble  health,  but  died,  November  26,  1887, 
after  a  few  days  illness,  from  pneumonia.  He  was  buried  in 
the  beautiful  Hollywood  Cemetery  at  Richmond.  He  made 
a  public  profession  of  religion  in  the  ninth  year  of  his  age  and 
united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he  continued 
to  be  an  eminently  consistent  and  shining  member  until  his 
death.  His  death  was  so  calm  and  beautiful  that  the  eminent 
Richmond  physician  who  attended  him  remarked :  "  None 
but  a  Christian  could  die  as  he  died." 

Mr,  Taylor  married,  April  25,  1842,  Cornelia  Storrs, 
youngest  daughter  of  Gervas  Storrs,  Esq.,  of  Hunslet  Hall, 
Henrico  County,  Va.  This  lady  still  lives  in  Richmond.  He 
left  five  daughters  and  three  sons,  viz.:  i.  Paulina  Storrs,  who 
married  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wharton,  now  Professor  in  William  and 
Mary  College,  at  Williamsburg,  Va. 2.  Emily  Morris  Tay- 
lor, unmarried  and  living  with  her  mother  in  Richmond,  Va. 

3.  Cornelia  Storrs,  unmarried,  and  living  in   Richmond. 

4.    Mary  Boiling,  an  invalid,  also  lives  with  her  mother  in 

Richmond. 5.  William  Barret  Taylor,  married  Elizabeth 

McCaw  Boggs  and  is  living  in  Salem,  N.  C. 6.  Rebecca 

Sidney,  married  Lewis  Cass  Adair,  of  Red  Sulphur  Springs, 

W.  Va.,  and  now  resides  in  Richmond. 7.  Jacquelin  Plumer, 

married  Sallie  D.  Marshall,  of  Kentucky,  and  lives  at  Winston, 

N.  C. 8.  Henry  Porterfield,  married  Mary  Giles  Robins, 

and  lives  in  Richmond. 


MORREI.I.  VAN  GIESEN. 

MoRRELL  Van  Giesen  was  born  in  New  York  City,  Feb. 
II,  18 18.  His  parents  were  Marcellus  M.  and  Catharine 
(Van  Blarcom)  Van  Giesen.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at 
Union  Hall  Academy  in  Jamaica,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  under 
the  tuition  of  Henry  Onderdonk,  Jr. 


192  BIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   CLASS   OF    l8^S. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  the  fall  of  1834,  joining 
the  Freshman  Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  He  was 
under  medium  size,  delicate  in  appearance,  fastidiously  neat 
in  his  dress,  extremely  good-natured,  prone  to  fun  and  mis- 
chief, and  strongly  indisposed  to  study.  Throughout  his 
course  he  was  one  of  the  lowest  in  his  class  in  point  of 
scholarship.  When  he  was  called  on  to  recite,  especially  in 
mathematics,  there  was  a  general  expectation  that  something 
amusing  was  about  to  happen.  He  remained  with  his  class 
nearly  the  whole  four  years,  but  within  a  few  weeks  of  the 
Final  Examination  of  the  Senior  Class,  he  quietly  withdrew, 
and  he  now  very  candidly  declares  the  reason  to  have  been 
that  "  he  feared  he  could  not  pass  the  examination  in  mathe- 
matics." 

After  leaving  college  he  never  pursued  his  studies  miy  fur- 
ther, but,  being  in  easy  circumstances  financially,  retired  to  a 
farm  near  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  and  made  farming  his  business 
through  the  whole  of  his  uneventful  life  until  recently.  He 
now  enjoys  "  otitan  cum  dignitate  "  in  the  same  pleasant  and 
thriving  city.  He  writes  that  he  has  never  received  any  title 
or  any  office  of  any  kind,  and  that  he  took  no  part  in  the 
civil  war  of  186 1-5.  So  completely  has  he  been  hidden  from 
the  view  of  his  classmates  for  fifty  years  that  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  and  only  after  very  persistent  efforts  he  was  discov- 
ered. When  he  received  the  writer's  first  letter  it  elicited  a 
response  from  which  we  quote  the  following :  "  I  am  the 
Morrell  Van  Giesen  who  was  at  Princeton  College  in  the 
class  of  1838.  Doctor  Carnahan  was  President,  and  Dr.  John 
Maclean  Vice-President,  and  Professor  Dod  zuas  Professor  of 
Mathematics.  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  from  you,  for  it  brings 
to  memory  what  nice  times  I  had  when  I  was  there.  I  thank 
you  for  your  '  warm  hand  of  old  friendship.'  "  We  are  glad 
to  add  that  for  many  years  Mr.  Van  Giesen  has  been  a  con- 
sistent member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Geneva. 

He  married,  April  20,  1848,  Jane  Wilson,  daughter  of 
James  Wilson,  at  Geneva,  N.  Y.  She  died  Jan.  16,  1888. 
He  has  three  living  children,  viz.:  i.  Marcellus  M.  Van 
Giesen,  unmarried,  and  living  at   Minneapolis,  Minn. 2. 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE.  193 

William  W.  Van  Giesen,  married  Sallie  Dermott,  and  is  living 

in  Geneva. 3.  Jennie  W.  Van    Giesen,  unmarried,  is  living 

with  her  father  at  Geneva. 


REV.  JAMES   ADDISON   WADDEI.L,   M.D.,  D.D. 

James  Addison  Waddell,  son  of  Lyttelton  Waddell  and 
Elizabeth  (Edmondson)  Waddell,  was  born  in  Staunton,  Va., 
November  26,  18 17,  and  was  prepared  for  college  under  the 
instruction  of  his  father. 

He  entered  the  Junior  Class  at  Princeton  College  in  1837, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Whig  Society.  He  is  yet  living, 
and  has  sent  to  the  writer  the  following  recollections  of  his 
college  life  in  Princeton : 

"  My  father,  who  was  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander, 
took  me  to  college  as  a  very  green  youth  in  1837.  I  roomed  at  the  top 
of  the  new  West  College  with  George  C.  Jones,  of  Delaware.  We  were 
hard  students,  and  made  few  acquaintances.  Sam  Alexander  was  a 
very  affectionate  fellow,  and  was  often  at  my  room  ;  his  brother,  Henry 
M.  Alexander,  also.  John  H,  Rice,  as  well  as  Sam  Alexander,  spent 
much  time  there.  John  was  a  great  reader,  and  prepared  more  fully 
for  his  Whig  exercises  than  for  his  class  recitations.  I  remember  you" 
[the  writer]  "  well.  I  photographed  you  once  (mentally),  when  you 
scored  some  young  fellow  for  pronouncing  /op/c  as  toe-pick.  I  have 
faint  recollections  of  Newbold,  Hornblower,  Sawyer,  WoodhuU  and 
others.  Lewis  Perrine  is  distinctly  remembered,  not  merely  in  appear- 
ance, but  as  a  most  lovable  man.  I  have  often  wished  I  could  meet 
him." 

But  Mr.  Waddell  stayed  with  his  class  only  five  months. 
In  the  following  vacation  he  was  seized  at  home  by  an  illness 
so  prolonged  as  to  forbid  his  return.  Having  recovered,  he 
spent  one  year — 1839-40 — at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and 
was  graduated  there,  after  which  he  studied  medicine  with 
his  uncle,  Addison  Waddell,  M.D.,  in  Staunton,  and  then  at 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  at 
Philadelphia,  from  which  institution  he  received  the  degree  of 
M.D.  in  1842.  He  practiced  his  profession  for  some  time, 
but  found  it  distasteful,  and  went  to  teaching.  He  taught  for 
13 


194  HISTORY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

some  years  in  Staunton,  and  afterwards  at  Union,  Monroe 
County,  Virginia  (now  West  Virginia). 

He  at  last  summoned  courage  to  enter  the  ministry, — a 
profession  for  which  he  had  long  felt  a -strong  desire.  He 
studied  theology  privately  under  the  Rev.  Samuel  R.  Hous- 
ton, D.D.,  and  was  ordained  as  an  Evangelist  by  the  Presby- 
tery of  East  Hanover  May  17,  1868.  He  spent  six  yeans — 
1873-79 — ''^  Lexington,  Va.,  as  Principal  of  The  Ann  Smith 
Academy.  The  remainder  of  his  life,  since  his  ordination, 
has  been  spent  in  preaching  to  several  churches  in  that  part 
of  the  State.  On  November  27,  1881,  he  was  installed  as 
pastor  of  the  two  churches  of  Olivet  and  Bethany,  which  po- 
sition he  still  holds,  his  post-office  address  being  Roxbury, 
Charles  City  County,  Va.  He  received  the  degree  of  D.D. 
in  1888  from  Washington  and  Lee  University,  Virginia. 

As  a  writer  and  preacher  Dr.  Waddell  is  confessedly  a  very 
able  man,  and  is  listened  to  with  delight  by  people  of  the 
highest  culture.  But  his  voice,  his  manner  and  his  extreme 
modesty  have  prevented  his  becoming  a  widely  popular  and 
attractive  preacher.  He  has  contributed  many  articles  to  The 
Southern  Presbyterian  Review,  and  writes  much  for  various 
religious  journals. 

He  married,  August  7,  1849,  Susanna  C.  Gordon,  of  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  who  is  still  living.     They  have  no  children. 


ISAAC  WATTS  WELLING. 

Isaac  W.  Welling  was  born  at  Pennington,  N.  J.,  about 
18 1 7,  and  was  the  son  of  Charles  Welling,  and  of  Mary  Sex- 
ton of  that  place.  He  was  prepared  for  College  at  the  Law- 
rencevillc  High  School  under  the  Rev.  Isaac  V.  Brown,  D.D., 
and  Mr.  A.  H.  Phillips. 

He  entered  college  in  the  fall  of  1835,  joining  the  Sopho- 
more Class  and  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  a  man  of  magni- 
ficent physique,  tall,  strongly  built,  and  of  great  personal 
dignity.  He  remained  with  the  class  of  1838  only  to  the  end 
of  its  Sophomore  year,  when,  from  considerations  connected 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  195 

with  his  health,  he  withdrew.  Afterwards  he  joined  the  next 
class  below,  and  was  graduated  in  1839. 

After  his  graduation  he  commenced  the  study  of  law  under 
the  Hon.  William  Halsted  in  Trenton,  N  J.,  but  very  soon 
thereafter  became  insane  and  was  sent  to  the  Lunatic  Asylum 
at  Brattleboro',  Vermont,  where  he  remained  twenty  years. 
Thence  he  was  removed  to  the  State  Lunatic  Asylum  at 
Trenton,  N.  J.,  where  he  died,  July  13,  1887,  of  "  Fatty  De- 
generation of  the  Heart,"  and  was  buried  in  the  Presbyterian 
Cemetery,  of  Pennington,  N.  J.,  his  native  place. 

Mr.  Welling's  insanity  was  of  a  mild  type,  and  for  many 
years  while  at  Brattleboro'  and  Trenton  he  was  an  ardent 
student,  and  became  the  best  of  authority  on  many  subjects, 
especially  those  of  a  historical  character.  He  was  constantly 
consulted  when  dates  and  important  historical  events  were  to 
be  chronicled. 

He  was  never  married. 


WILLIAM  HENRY  WINTHROP. 

William  Henry  Winthrop  was  born  in  New  London, 
Conn.,  May  8,  1819,  and  was  the  son  of  William  Henry  and 
Margaret  Ann  (Parkin)  Winthrop.  His  final  preparation  for 
college  was  made  at  the  Academy  in  Princeton,  N.  J.,  under 
the  Rev.  Charles  C.  Sears. 

He  entered  Princeton  College  in  the  fall  of  1834,  joining  the 
Freshman  Class  and  the  Cliosophic  Society.  As  we  write,  a 
distinct  vision  of  him  comes  up  before  us.  He  was  under 
medium  height,  but  decidedly  stout,  thick-set  and  muscular, 
and  excelled  in  all  games  requiring  both  strength  and  skill. 
He  was  cheerful,  social,  talkative,  and  very  moderately  ad- 
dicted to  study.  He  was  a  member  of  the  class  three  years, 
and  left  it  at  the  end  of  the  Junior  year — "disliking  College 
life,"  as  he  writes, "and  its  confinement  disagreeing  with  him." 
He  entered  no  other  institution  of  learning  afterward. 

In  regard  to  Mr.  Winthrop's  subsequent  history,  we  will 
quote  his  own  words.      He  writes  : 


196  BIOGRAPHY   OF   THE   CLASS   OF    1 838. 

"  For  a  year  after  leaving  College,  I  made  New  London  my  home, 
doing  little  or  nothing  worth  mentioning.  After  that,  I  went  to  Chicago, 
in  September,  1839,  and  remained  there  nearly  a  year,  during  which 
time  I  was  an  officer  on  board  a  schooner  freighting  between  Chicago, 
St.  Josephs  and  other  ports  on  the  Lakes ;  and  when  navigation  was 
closed  in  winter,  making  Chicago  my  headquarters.  After  returning  to 
New  London,  for  twenty-three  years,  up  to  October,  1886,  I  held  the 
office  of  City  Sheriff.  But  becoming  very  lame  from  an  injury  to  the 
joint  of  my  left  knee,  which  is  much  affected  by  changes  of  the 
weather,  and  at  times  very  painful,  I  then  declined  being  again  nomi- 
nated, and  with  the  exception  of  writing  for  different  parties  occasionally, 
1  have  not  done  much  since.  My  health,  as  a  general  thing,  has  been 
and  is  now  as  good  as  could  be  expected  for  a  man  nearly  seventy  years 
old.  I  have  never  written  any  book.  I  took  no  active  part  in  the  civil 
war.  I  was  brought  up  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  my 
preference  is  still  there." 

Mr.  Winthrop  married,  October  17,  1841,  Mary  Ellen  Young, 
youngest  daughter  of  William  H.  Young,  of  New  London, 
Conn.  She  is  still  living.  He  has  had  twelve  children,  of 
whom  two  sons  and  five  daughters  are  now  living.  His  oldest 
son,  Frederick  W.,  is  married,  and  resides  and  is  engaged  in 
business  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  His  younger  son,  now  27  years 
of  age,  is  living  with  his  father.  His  five  daughters  are  all 
married  and  living  in  New  London.  The  eldest  married 
Robert  B.  Smith;  the  second,  Benjamin  M.  Carroll;  the  third, 
Albert  Leeds ;  the  fourth,  Nathan  B.  Beebe,  and  the  fifth,  Ed- 
ward A.  Colby.  Mr.  Winthrop  has  sixteen  grandchildren 
living,  and  has  lost  six  by  death. 


DABNEY  CARR  WIRT,   ESQ. 

Dabney  Carr  Wirt  was  born  in  Richmond,  Va.,  March  2, 
18 1 7.  His  parents  were  the  Hon.  William  Wirt,  a  distin- 
guished lawyer,  orator  and  author  of  Virginia,  and  Eliza- 
beth Washington  Gamble.  He  was  prepared  for  college 
at  the  Richmond  Academy,  under  Mr.  Reynolds,  an  English 
man. 

Mr.  Wirt  came  to  Princeton  in  company  with  his  younger 


PRINCETON   COLLEGE.  197 

brother,  Henry  Grattan  Wirt,*  in  the  fall  of  1837,  and  joined 
the  Junior  Class  and  the  Whig  Society.  He  was  of  full  me- 
dium size,  stoutly  built,  courteous,  gentlemanly,  dignified  and 
studious.  He  remained  through  the  Junior  year,  when  his 
brother  Henry's  health  failed,  and  he  was  advised  by  his  phy- 
sician to  seek  a  warmer  climate.  Our  classmate  accompanied 
his  brother. 

After  leaving  Princeton  he  spent  two  years  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Virginia,  at  Charlottesville,  and,  taking  an  elective 
course,  was  graduated  in  several  branches.  He  also  studied 
law  in  the  Law  School  of  that  University  under  Professor 
Tucker.  He  then  practiced  law  two  years  in  Florida  and 
two  years  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  after  which  he  removed  to  An- 
napolis, Md.  The  years  1849  and  1850  he  spent  in  taking  a 
voyage  around  the  world.  On  his  return  he  moved  to  West- 
moreland County,  Va.,  and  engaged  in  farming.  In  this  oc- 
cupation he  has  been  engaged  ever  since,  and  is  still  engaged. 

His  address  is  "  Oak  Grove,  Westmoreland  County,  Va.'' 
He  states  that  he  has  "  held  no  office  of  any  kind,  now  or 
ever."  He  became  a  member  of  The  F'irst  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Baltimore  (Rev.  John  C.  Backus,  D.D.,  pastor), 
about  1853;  but  as  there  is  no  Presbyterian  Church  in  his 
vicinity,  he  now  attends  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

Mr.  Wirt  married,  November  19,  1855,  Julia  Augusta 
Washington,  daughter  of  William  Augustine  Washington,  of 
Westmoreland  County,  Va.  This  lady  died  April  24,  1888, 
He  has  no  children. 

•*The  younger  brother,  Henry  Grattan  Wirt,  who  was  one  year  a  member  of  the 
Class  of  1839,  after  leaving  Princeton  studied  two  years  in  The  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  was  graduated  there  ;  practiced  medicine  in  Florida  a  number  of  years; 
married  there  a  widow,  Mrs.  Harriet  Louisa  Anderson,  and  died  there  June  26, 
1850,  leaving  two  daughters,  who  are  now  both  married  and  have  families. 


^■'^M\ 


